Shea Patterson is Michigan’s starting quarterback. As reluctant as Jim Harbaugh can be to anoint a starter to early in the offseason or consider the position a competition, the senior is going to get the nod.

That’s something we already knew heading into B1G Media Days. What we learned, though, is that Michigan may actually play two quarterbacks this season. In every game.

Harbaugh was asked about the quarterback situation in Ann Arbor, making it clear that there are some really good options behind Patterson. The head coach said he plans to get both guys on the field in every game, at least how it stands now.

“Where it stands right now, that could change later or not, is I see them both playing,” Harbaugh said in Chicago. “Where it stands right now, I see maybe redefining what a starter is. I see that. That’s where it is now. You want to get both on the field either at the same time or separately.”

Harbaugh didn’t actually mean putting both guys on the field at the same time — though we did see that situation with Trace McSorley and Tommy Stevens at Penn State for a few years. Instead, the Michigan head coach meant getting both guys snaps in all 12 games this fall.

“I’m really not talking about playing them both at the same time,” Harbaugh said. “When I say I want to play them both in games, it’s really going to be, they’re both playing quarterback during the same game. The way it stands now, in every game.”

Patterson was consistent for the Wolverines last season, more so than any other UM quarterback of the Harbaugh era. He threw for 2,600 yards and 22 touchdowns with just seven interceptions, all while maintaining a 64.6 completion percentage.

McCaffrey appeared in just six games and threw 15 passes. He finished the year with 126 passing yards and two touchdowns and added 99 rushing yards and one score on the ground.

It’s not quite clear how Harbaugh plans to utilize both guys, but he seems confident in playing Patterson and McCaffrey throughout the season.