Former Michigan Wolverines quarterback Dylan McCaffrey announced his new home in football on Sunday, with the news that he has committed to playing for northern Colorado. This sends the former four-star recruit to the FCS level to play for his father Ed McCaffrey, who was hired to lead the program in December 2019.
McCaffrey was a four-star contender, the fifth professional-style quarterback and the country’s No. 123 player in the 2017 category.
McCaffrey and Joe Milton fought during the off-season for the title of full-back in 2020. Things changed in the fall when Milton overtook him and Cade McNamara started to rise as well. He would give up in the weeks leading up to the season, after the Big Ten announced he would be back. Given that McNamara and Milton are still on the list and five-star JJ McCarthy is now on campus, it makes sense to look for other opportunities.
McCaffrey was put into action for the first time against Notre Dame in 2018. He performed well under the circumstances and appeared to be solid support for Shea Patterson. He suffered a collarbone injury at the end of the season during the game against Penn State, but showed enough in limited action to suggest that he may be the future as a defender. He ended that year completing 8 of 15 attempts to pass for 126 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran 10 times for 99 yards and a couple of points on the ground.
Patterson fought a new attack to begin the 2019 season and was eliminated during the third game of the season against Wisconsin. That gave McCaffrey the long-awaited opportunity, but a concussion during the game brought it all to a halt and saw him miss a good portion of the rest of the season. He finished the year at 10 out of 20 for 116 yards and a score. He also ran 13 times for 67 yards and a touchdown.