JJ McCarthy — Michigan’s rising junior quarterback — has the potential to become one of the greatest passers that we have ever seen in the Maize and Blue.
After two seasons with the Wolverines, here are five of McCarthy’s best passes that should have Michigan football fans flustered with excitement for the Wolverines’ 2023 campaign this fall.
McCarthy’s first touchdown as a Wolveirne
What is important to remember about this throw from JJ McCarthy is that it came in Week 1 of his freshman season. It was McCarthy’s first touchdown as a Wolverine and perhaps the best throw we have seen from a Michigan quarterback in decades.
At this moment, Michigan football fans knew JJ McCarthy was going to develop into a star as time went on.
JJ McCarthy shows out in his first start
In Week 2 of the 2022 Michigan football season, JJ McCarthy earned his first start in the Maize and Blue. The Wolverines’ sophomore quarterback opened the game with this incredible throw — a deep ball to a wide-open Roman Wilson to get the Michigan offense on the board.
McCarthy’s massive first half led the Wolverines to a 42-0 lead over Hawaii by the end of the second quarter under the lights at Michigan Stadium.
McCarthy finds senior Ronnie Bell for 6 against Purdue
In Michigan’s 2021 Big Ten Championship game win, the Wolverines slowly suffocated the Hawkeyes until No. 13 Iowa finally broke, and the floodgates opened. In Michigan’s 2022 performance, it seemed the opposite was true; Michigan football used many quick strike plays, such as the one above, to overcome the Boilermakers.
Here, JJ McCarthy lasers one downfield to Ronnie Bell to give the Wolverines a 35-19 lead; Michigan went on to win 43-22.
JJ shows out in Michigan’s 22-point win in Columbus
In case you somehow missed it, Michigan football was down a Heisman Trophy-contending running back when it faced off against No. 2 Ohio State on November 26th last year. Because of this, the Wolverines were forced to rely on their sophomore QB, JJ McCarthy, who showed up and had the game of his life.
McCarthy ended the game with over 260 passing yards and four total touchdowns in Michigan’s 45-23 win over the Buckeyes. Among his best throws of 2022 was the deep ball to freshman tight end Colston Loveland seen above.
McCarthy finds Johnson under pressure for 6
If you ask me, this is one of JJ McCarthy’s most underrated throws to date. In Michigan’s biggest game of the season — No. 3 Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State — McCarthy found junior wide-out Cornelius Johnson to keep his team in the game.
McCarthy managed to connect with Johnson via a lighting-fast pass despite fading off his back foot and being hit by a Buckeye defender. Few FBS quarterbacks will complete this pass; luckily for Michigan fans, JJ McCarthy is one of said few.
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