But before the team started spring camp, another name popped up in conversations.

At the men’s basketball game against Ohio State in February, Rodriguez was asked about his two scholarship quarterbacks, Threet and Cone.

The coach answered, and then he threw a third name in the mix: Nick Sheridan.

Shortest distance, the longest odds
In the grand scheme, Sheridan was an unlikely candidate to be a starting quarterback at Michigan. He walked onto the team, lacked the height of most Division-I quarterbacks and he wasn’t particularly fast or strong.

The son of former Michigan defensive position coach under Carr from 2002-2004 and current New York Giants linebackers coach Bill Sheridan, Nick played quarterback at Saline High School, less than 10 miles from Michigan stadium.

Sheridan didn’t receive any scholarship offers from Division-I schools coming out of high school, but Carr invited him to walk on to the Michigan football team. He could have gone to a Division III program and competed for a starting job. But Michigan was too good an opportunity, even if it meant toiling in relative anonymity for four years.

“It was just the best combination of academics and athletics that was available to me,” Sheridan said. “I couldn’t pass up a place like Michigan.”

Even though it seemed unlikely Sheridan would ever see the field at Michigan, he worked as hard as he could, improving every day and thriving on the competition.

“What has been great for him is the fact that he’s been able to be in a program like the University of Michigan where the day-to-day, year-round competition is so fierce that you can’t help but get better,” Bill Sheridan said. “I’m convinced that Nick is much better and much more developed than he ever would have been had he gone to a Division-III school.”

In fact, Sheridan had improved enough to show Rodriguez that he had the skill set to be a Division-I quarterback.

The competition
In spring practice, the battle for the starting quarterback spot developed into a two-man race between Threet and Sheridan, splitting reps equally with the first-team offense.

Threet had more size and arm strength. Sheridan showed flashes of brilliance in the new offense.

Quickly, the media threw questions at both about the position battle. But as many tried to square Sheridan and Threet against each other, they only grew closer.

“It has been a difficult situation at times,” Sheridan said. “Both of us badly want to play. You put the team first. Fortunately, we’re both very unselfish and understand a bitter competition is not going to help the team, and it’s not going to help either of us. I just try to help Steve out, and him the same for me.”

The pair spent a lot of time watching film together over the summer, trying to understand as much of Rodriguez’s complex offense as they could before fall camp started in early August.

They developed a rapport that allowed them to keep their relationship light even as they competed for the starting job. They jokingly graded each other’s press conference performances and took digs at each other’s high school (Adrian and Saline are rivals in Michigan’s Southeastern Conference).

“We obviously spend a lot of time together, in the hotel, in meetings, in practice and what not,” Threet said. “When it’s time to be focused and get the job done, we do. But also, it’s good that us, and David Cone as well, we’re pretty good friends. So it makes it a little bit easier.”

Finding a starter
Neither Threet nor Sheridan stood out enough in fall camp for Rodriguez to name a starting quarterback in the week leading up to the season opener against Utah.

When Michigan came out against the Utes on Aug. 30, Sheridan, who was starting his first semester on scholarship, was behind center. Threet stood on the sideline with a headset on, relaying the plays.

Late in the first half, the two switched spots. But Threet wasn’t angry about not starting and Sheridan wasn’t upset about getting replaced during the game.

“I’m sure both those guys are preoccupied on a daily basis on Michigan winning football games,” Bill Sheridan said. “They’re just preoccupied with trying to get better as individual quarterbacks. I don’t think those two guys are wrapped on ‘me against you.’ ”

The next week against Miami (Ohio), Threet took the opening snaps.