5 Greatest Michigan Quarterbacks in History

Harbaugh is a Michigan legend. If this were a Mount Rushmore-style ranking, he’d earn some consideration, especially as his time as Wolverines head coach led to more success.

His two full years as starting quarterback in 1985 and 1986 were plenty magical in and of themselves, too. Harbaugh threw 28 touchdowns over those two seasons in an era when those numbers were mighty high.

His senior season was so good (2,557 passing yards, 10 TD, seven rushing TD) that Harbaugh earned third in Heisman Trophy voting.

4. Chad Henne (2004-2007)

Statistically, no quarterback in Michigan history had a better career than Henne. He left Ann Arbor after the 2007 season and nary a signal-caller who has come since has passed him in the record books.

Henne threw for 9,715 yards with 87 touchdowns over his four years as starter and earned two All-Big Ten selections as Michigan found itself in the top 10 regularly during his stint.

Unfortunately, an 0-4 record against Ohio State hurt the Wolverines late in those seasons and dampened some spirit for the era. Still, statistically, Henne did things no one had done before and no one has done since.

3. Elvis Grbac (1988-1992)

A three-and-a-half year starter at Michigan, Grbac was a beast through the air for the Wolverines as the 1980s turned into the 1990s.

The son of Croatian immigrants, Grbac took to the new football rather well, leading the Big Ten in touchdown passes three times in his final three years. In his junior and senior seasons, he earned first-team All-Big Ten honors. After that 1992 season, Grbac won the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation’s pass passer.

He left Michigan as the school’s all-time leader in completions, yards passing, and touchdowns and he remains third on all three lists more than three decades later.

2. Rick Leach (1975-1978)

From the perspective of 2026, Leach’s numbers might not seem all that impressive. But he was the first-ever four-year starting quarterback in Wolverines history and he torched the record books at the time.

Leach began his career as a freshman in 1975 when his main job was to turn around and hand the ball off to Gordon Bell. Or it himself. Leach threw for just 647 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games, but he ran for 490 with five scores.

Coach Bo Schembechler continued to give him more opportunity after that and Leach responded by becoming the first player in now-FBS history to score 200 points passing and another 200 on the ground. His 82 combined touchdowns by the time he left Michigan after the 1979 season were an FBS record.

1. J.J. McCarthy (2021-2023)

McCarthy doesn’t rank in the top five in Michigan history when it comes to yards passing. He ranks in a tie for fourth when it comes to passing touchdowns. But, c’mon. You know why he’s here.

The Chicagoland native went an astounding 27-1 in his two years as Wolverines starter, capped by a national title in the 2023 season. McCarthy’s .964 winning percentage is the highest mark in FBS history and the third highest mark in major college football history.

And it’s not like he was a game manager. Over three seasons, two as starter, McCarthy threw for 6,226 yards with 49 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions.

More Michigan Wolverines Football Rankings

• 10 Greatest Michigan Football Players Ever
• 5 Greatest Running Backs in Michigan History
• 5 Greatest Defensive Players in Michigan History