2014 Season Countdown: #90 Brian Cleary

Brian Cleary (#6)

Name: Brian Cleary
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 212 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) U of D Jesuit
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #6
Last year: I ranked Cleary #57 and said he would be the third quarterback. He played in the blowout of Central Michigan but did not record any statistics.

When Russell Bellomy suffered a torn ACL in the spring of 2013, suddenly everyone wondered if unheralded walk-on Brian Cleary might be Michigan's quarterback at some point in the season. With a gangly running starter in Devin Gardner and a true freshman Shane Morris the only other legitimate options, the 110,000-plus fans in Michigan Stadium could have seen the ghosts of Steve Threet and Nick Sheridan taking the field. Luckily, Michigan did a little better than their collective 3-9 and made it to the bowl game on the shoulders of Gardner, though Morris ended up playing in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl due to Gardner's broken foot. The only glimpse we saw of Cleary was of him handing off the ball in a blowout of Central Michigan in the season opener.

Michigan has a little more depth in 2014 with Gardner, Morris, and Bellomy back, plus true freshman Wilton Speight. There's a good chance that Speight will redshirt, and Bellomy, Cleary, and Speight might share snaps with the scout team. I place Cleary below Speight simply because if a spate of injuries were to occur, Speight would probably burn his redshirt. In his third year in the offense, Cleary could probably enter a game and not embarrass himself, but his skills are limited. He'll likely be holding a clipboard on the sideline unless Michigan can destroy an opponent or two.

Prediction: Fourth string quarterback