WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. — JJ McCarthy enters his second season as Michigan's starting quarterback, and cites a big advantage compared to where he was a year ago.
He had a healthy offseason to work.
"Honestly, it's just been amazing to be healthy. Not having that in the back of my head when I'm going into my throwing sessions, it's been really awesome," he told WXYZ at the Champions Circle Golf Classic on Monday.
At Big Ten media days, Jim Harbaugh compared McCarthy to Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, two quarterbacks the Wolverines starter admires.
McCarthy responded to the compliments.
“It means so much coming from him because I just value his opinion so much. It just reaffirms to me that what I'm doing is the right thing," McCarthy said. "At the end of the day, I just got to continue focusing on myself, keep improving myself, and like he always says: I emulate those boys, I observe them all the time, but I am trying to surpass them.”
INTERVIEW: JJ McCarthy enters his second season as Michigan Football's starting quarterback with a big advantage. He had a healthy offseason to work.He appreciated Jim Harbaugh's comparison to Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, two QBs he admires, but has goals to surpass them too pic.twitter.com/6PKsxZy1u1
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) July 31, 2023
Harbaugh told WXYZ about the comparison he made.
"In their ability, in their talent, in their effort, and especially in their willingness to do anything for their teammates," he said. "I see that from JJ on a daily basis. I see that from Mahomes and Josh Allen. Just what they say about their teammates and what their teammates say about them."
McCarthy passed for 2,719 yards last season, throwing 22 touchdowns and five interceptions with a 64.6 completion percentage. He ran for 306 yards and five touchdowns. Michigan won the Big Ten championship for a second straight season, and advanced again to the College Football Playoff.
"I've seen him now in all the situations. I've seen him adulated, I've seen him boo'd, I've seen him hit, I've seen him down, I've seen him up," Harbaugh added. "Everything motivates him, but he's got that ability to lock in. There's a 'locked and loaded' sense about him, especially when there's more heat on him."
Michigan opens fall camp this week ahead of the season-opener on September 2 against East Carolina.
