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5 things we’ve heard about Michigan football quarterback JJ McCarthy

Here are five things that we have been hearing about Michigan football quarterback JJ McCarthy heading into the 2023 season opener against East Carolina tomorrow.

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Michigan football quarterback, JJ McCarthy, East Carolina, 2023 season
Sep 24, 2022; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) rushes in the first half against the Maryland Terrapins at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Heading into the 2023 season opener against East Carolina this weekend, there is a lot of buzz about junior Michigan football quarterback JJ McCarthy, who could take the next step and lead the Wolverines to a Big Ten title and more this fall. Here are five things that we have heard about McCarthy heading into the new year.

Michigan football quarterback gunning for bigger and better during 2023 season

Tomorrow, Michigan football begins its new campaign, led by second-year starting quarterback JJ McCarthy. Last year, after winning the job during Week 2 of the 2022 season, McCarthy led the Maize and Blue to a 13-win season, a Big Ten title, and a College Football Playoff appearance; this year, he and his squad are gunning for much more.

5. JJ McCarthy is not a captain, but has a large leadership role

As many Michigan football fans know, JJ McCarthy was not named a team captain this year — this is because he is ineligible since he is a junior (only seniors and up can be captains). That said, despite not being a captain, McCarthy still has a large leadership role for the Maize and Blue this year.

“JJ (McCarthy) wasn’t eligible to be a captain,” Zak Zinter explained. “So, it’s only a seniors, fifth-year, sixth-year guys. So he wasn’t on the ballot this year. But he’s definitely one of the biggest leaders on our team. He knows that, and we know that, and he’s just as much leader as any of us.”

“I know one thing JJ has been working on daily is his leadership skills,” junior running back Donovan Edwards added. “Just trying to continue pushing guys in the right direction. I think somebody like me can help him do that. Just continuing being around him and leading him in the right direction.”

Tomorrow, against East Carolina, the Wolverines need to see more of this leadership in action.

4. Michigan football quarterback is “taking control” of the team and the field

If you ask many of JJ McCarthy’s favorite receiving targets, there is not a pass on the field that he cannot make heading into this weekend’s 2023 season opener against East Carolina. Here is what junior Max Bredeson had to say.

“He’s really just taking control,” Max Bredeson said of JJ McCarthy during fall camp. “He’s a guy you just want to follow to battle. I don’t know how to explain it, but, when he’s in the huddle, you just feel confident in him. You feel like someone is gonna make a play. It’s funny, actually, I was a quarterback in high school, and we threw together with the same QB coach (Greg Holcomb), and you could feel it back then, too, just a natural leader. Born guy to take hold of a team.”

3. JJ McCarthy is “once in a generation” for the Wolverines

During Big Ten Media Days in July, head coach Jim Harbaugh had some serious praise for the Wolverines’ returning starting QB. According to Harbaugh, who is heading into his 9th year in Ann Arbor, JJ McCarthy is a “once in a generation” quarterback for the Maize and Blue. We will get to see some of that talent tomorrow against East Carolina.

“He’s a once-in-a-generation type of quarterback at Michigan, and his progress continues to grow daily,” Harbaugh stated. “He’s at the top of his game right now, really in all aspects. Everything that he does athletically, everything he does throwing the football, are at the elite level. And then the thing I think that makes him the most special, that differentiating good and great, is that he’s just willing to do anything for his teammates, anything for his team.”

2. Incredible fall camp could lead to much more for McCarthy and the Wolverines

JJ McCarthy has been causing a ton of buzz in Ann Arbor due to an impressive fall camp showing heading into the 2023 season. This weekend, we will get to see if the hype is real; however, here is what we have heard about McCarthy during camp.

“(The passing game) has looked good in practice,” wideouts coach Ron Bellamy said. “It’s just a matter of getting out there Saturday and executing. But everything has looked good. (JJ McCarthy) has been awesome. He’s had a fantastic camp … He’s a year older, a year wiser. I said it when I had an interview with Jon Jansen that I thought (JJ McCarthy) was the best quarterback in college football. I’m saying it because I’ve watched him. I totally believe in him, and he gets the passing game rolling.

“Obviously, as coaches, you want to put guys in the best situations, but there’s no doubt in my mind that J.J. is one of the best leaders I’ve been around. As far as being a playmaker, he’s showcased that day in and day out.”

1. JJ McCarthy could have more opportunity against East Carolina and during the 2023 season

The talk of the town since the end of the 2022 season has been JJ McCarthy and the Michigan football passing offense — last year, it was underwhelming, but it sounds like there is major progress being made. This year, as the Wolverines look to finally get into contention for a national title — not just the Big Ten title — there is a lot of buzz that McCarthy could get more chances to shine.

“I feel like in order to get over that hump, in order to push through and bring out the most potential we have as an offense, we’ve got to be balanced,” JJ McCarthy said. “Whether you’re a human being, whether you’re an offense, the more balanced you are, the more successful you’re going to be.

“I feel like that just opens up to different levels of attack, and we’ve been working on it crazy. We’ve been more heavily focused on the passing game these first five practices, so it’s been great to be able to get those reps and opportunities, but as you said, we’ve got to be balanced. No matter what it is or how it gets there, we’re gonna get there.”



Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!

FOOTBALL

Michigan football: Update on Nebraska quarterback injury

This weekend, the Michigan football defense must stop an injured Nebraska quarterback.

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Michigan football, Nebraska, Jeff Sims, Matt Rhule, injury
Aug 31, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Jeff Sims (7) hands the ball off to running back Rahmir Johnson (14) during the second quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Ahead of this weekend’s matchup against Michigan football, the Nebraska quarterback room has some issues. Jeff Sims, the team’s starter, is currently less than 100% due to injury, leading head coach Matt Rhule to asses his QB room ahead of kickoff on Saturday. This week, Rhule gave an update on where things stand with just a few days until the game kicks off in Lincoln, NE.

Michigan football: Update on Nebraska quarterback injury

According to Matt Rhule, Jeff Sims (starting Nebraska quarterback) is not 100% right now. Additionally, his backup QB — Heinrich Haarberg — is getting in some solid reps ahead of the game and will be ready to go if needed, perhaps even on a rotational basis.

“Heinrich (Haarberg) has looked good,” Rhule said of his backup quarterback ahead of the Huskers’ Week 5 matchup against Michigan football, per Sports Illustrated. “How much can he completely open up and all those things? I don’t think we’ll completely know until game time, but there’s been no restrictions on him.

“(Starting quarterback Jeff Sims) looks good in terms of moving and sliding in the pocket,” Rhule added. “I wouldn’t say Jeff is 100%. … We’ll be ready to probably use either one of them or both of them as needed.”

Nebraska’s offense has been, to put things lightly, less-than-perfect this year. Still, not having the team’s QB1 when facing a defense like Michigan football has — the No. 1 scoring defense in the country — will make a massive upset even more difficult for the Cornhuskers this weekend.

When Michigan football and Nebraska take the field in a few days, keep an eye on which quarterback comes in first for the Huskers.



Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!

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Michigan football offensive line is addressing key issues

This year’s Michigan football offensive line is yet to click, but it’s getting close.

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Michigan football, offensive line, Trevor Keegan, Drake Nugent
© Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

So far this year, the Michigan football offensive line has seen its ups and downs. This week, we spoke with center Drake Nugent — a transfer from Stanford — and offensive guard Trevor Keegan about how the O-line is handling its early-season issues. While the team is working hard to right the ship, as seen against Rutgers last Saturday, the Wolverines seem to be less concerned about some initial road bumps than many fans are.

Michigan football offensive line is addressing its issues

The Michigan football offensive line is known for being elite — over the past two seasons, it has won two straight Joe Moore Awards (given to the nation’s best OL annually) and more, becoming the first line to ever accomplish the feat.

Drake Nugent explains early woes

Still, with new transfers and some key departures, this year’s offensive line has been struggling to get off the ground. Despite this being the case, Michigan football is handling its business and continues to address its issues heading into Week 5.

“First few games, we struggled a little bit on the inside zone stuff, communication-wise, I kind of hit on that after one of the games — ECU,” center Drake Nugent explained. “But I think week by week we’ve gotten better, just communication-wise. There are obviously a few plays each game that you want back, but that’s part of the game; it’s part of football. But I think we’re on the right track.

“I mean, the more reps the better, obviously,” Nugent continued. “Kinda just get a feel for everything just communication-wise because obviously there’s some plays out there that like, you might not know what each other is doing but you got to like — there’s just like a little instinct that you’ve got to trust next to him like he’s gonna go still do it anyways, even though you guys may not have told each other the call or something like that. Maybe just something small like that. But just those kinds of plays where you’ve just always gotta be on the same page. Kind of like unspoken plays, I guess you could call them.”

Trevor Keegan says the Wolverines are close

Trevor Keegan, a team captain for Michigan football this year, also added that the offensive line wasn’t firing on all cylinders until mid-way through the 2022 season. So far, he says that there is a similar feeling in the room, and that the OL is close to clicking.

“I feel like the last two years — especially last year — I mean, we didn’t play too well the first five games,” Trevor Keegan explained. “We were like, ‘Yeah, there’s like no way we’re gonna win.’ We weren’t playing that well. Until the Penn State game and we’re like, ‘alright,’ and then we just kept rolling from there. So it’s gonna take a couple of weeks for us. I mean, we didn’t have a spring ball together but, I mean, once this thing gets rolling, we’re gonna be playing really well. When you have 9-10 in the box, it’s kind of hard to really break out the runs. So it’s gonna come soon, I can feel it.”

Michigan football ready for Week 5 at Nebraska

In two days, Michigan football will face Nebraska for its first road test of the 2023 season. There, the offensive line will look to build on its solid performance at Rutgers, carrying the Wolverines to a fifth-straight victory before heading to Minnesota in Week 6.



Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!

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Michigan football: No need to worry about Donovan Edwards

According to Jim Harbaugh, Michigan football fans should not be worried about Donovan Edwards.

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Michigan football, Jim Harbaugh, Donovan Edwards
© Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

As many fans have noted, Michigan football running back Donovan Edwards has not been looking like his usual self so far this fall. Still, according to Jim Harbaugh — who spoke on Monday ahead of this weekend’s game against Nebraska — there is no reason to worry about Edwards’ slow start.

Michigan football: No need to worry about Donovan Edwards

So far this fall, Donovan Edwards has gotten off to a rocky start. A slow Week 1 performance seemingly carried into the following three games, leading many fans to share concern over Edwards’ play to this point in the year.

Through four games of the 2023 season, Edwards has gotten 44 touches for 209 all-purpose yards and no touchdowns. Still, head coach Jim Harbaugh says that there is no concern over Edwards’ numbers thus far — Harbaugh says there is more to a game than the box score.

What did Jim Harbaugh say?

“He’s good,” Jim Harbaugh said of Donovan Edwards on Monday. “Like he’s always been. And we play multiple backs. Statistics really don’t mean anything to us. When it comes all the players, it’s what’s good for them individually, and what’s good as a team. I see it from the individual and in the big picture with the team.

“Each individual guy, I treat that like I’m their dad, their agent, and I want what’s best for their career,” Harbaugh continued. “So in the running back position, to make a long story short here, I just don’t believe in a guy carrying the ball 30 times a game. They probably may not have some of the stats that some of the other backs have, even Blake (Corum) running the ball really good. 97 yards, we took him out of the game because I don’t think he needs another 100-yard game as much as he needs to be healthy. But the lifespan of a back their career, I don’t know what it is on average, maybe eight, nine, ten years total, including college.

“So, while they’re not getting paid, I don’t like to take the tread off the tire. I like to keep that tread on the tire. So there’s gonna be games where one back may be featured more than another. That’s that’s kind of how it’s been here. I mean, if you look at last year, look at the year before, look at the year before that, all eight years that we’ve been here. So, we’ll probably have this conversation again.

“Like next week, Dono carries more of the load. And you might ask me what happened with Blake. Blake had a heck of a game. Dono had less carries, but really affected the game catching the football. He’s an outstanding back because he can do all the things. He can run outside the tackles. He can run inside the tackles. He can pass protect, and he can catch the ball out of the backfield and get open. So, to answer your question. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with Donovan Edwards.”

Michigan football ready for Week 5 test at Nebraska

This weekend, Michigan football hits the field against Nebraska — the second game of the year that Jim Harbaugh will be coaching. During Week 5, keep an eye on Donovan Edwards to finally have his breakout game, perhaps building momentum for the remainder of the season.



Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!

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