Jake Garcia, previously at Eastern Carolina with stops before that at University of Miami Florida and Missouri, has committed to the Wolverines, the program announced on social media on Monday, June 16. Garcia took a visit to Ann Arbor earlier in June, which many felt was a signal that Michigan was seeking veteran reinforcements in the room.

Garcia completed 109 of 181 passes (60.2%) for the Pirates last season, throwing for 1,429 yards (7.9 per attempt) to go with an underwhelming ratio of eight touchdowns against 12 interceptions. He started the first six games of the 2024 season for ECU and the team went 3-3 overall, but after he threw four touchdowns in the season-opener against Norfolk State, he had four touchdowns and nine interceptions over the ensuing five games.

East Carolina Pirates quarterback Jake Garcia (11) looks on against Appalachian State during the second half at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Sept. 14, 2024 in Greenville, North Carolina.

The now junior ultimately lost the job after a 55-24 loss to Charlotte on Oct. 5. 2024 (who was coached by now Michigan associate head coach Biff Poggi) and was supplanted by Katin Houser, the former Michigan State quarterback in 2023.

Garcia is a big body, standing 6 feet 3 and 203 pounds and is somewhat mobile − he ran for two touchdowns last season but counting sack yardage, his 40 carries went for just 46 yards (1.1 per attempt).

This is a particularly notable development because of what it signals. U-M brought in Mikey Keene from Fresno State last offseason in order to compete for the job with freshman sensation Bryce Underwood. The hope was either the raw talent of Underwood would win out, but if not, Keene would be the experienced presence in the room to take over and guide the ship until Underwood was ready for the job.

Instead, Keene missed the entire spring practice session with an undisclosed injury. At the end of spring ball, coach Sherrone Moore said Keene was expected to be cleared to throw by June and compete for the job. However, when the Free Press asked wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy about his status on May 31, he said "I can't comment on that because I have no idea. ... we've been gone, so I haven't seen the guys."

The only other healthy quarterback in the room currently (last year's starter Davis Warren tore his ACL against Alabama in the bowl game and his return to play is still unknown) is Jadyn Davis.

Davis is a former four-star who came in with high hopes when he enrolled early on the tail end of the Wolverines' 2023 national championship season, but he underwhelmed in the spring game, completing just 6 of 17 passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns.

Garcia completed 79 of 128 (61.7%) of his passes in 2021-22 for the Hurricanes for seven touchdowns and four interceptions, so there is talent that can hang at the highest level, but he will understandably be a bit behind in terms of getting up to speed with the offense by joining in the middle of the summer.

Tony Garcia is the Michigan Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.

This story was updated to add a gallery.