Michigan football coach gives honest evaluation of JJ McCarthy

Last weekend, despite Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh being suspended and a number of injuries, the Wolverines downed East Carolina, 30-3, during the 2023 season opener. This week, as Michigan turns the page to Week 2 against UNLV, quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell spoke with the media, giving an honest evaluation of starting quarterback JJ McCarthy, who was the top-graded player in the Big Ten conference last weekend (93.0, per PFF).

Michigan football coach Kirk Campbell speaks about his starting QB

Kirk Campbell, the Wolverines’ first-year quarterbacks coach, already has a special relationship with JJ McCarthy. Yesterday, he went into some aspects of his relationship with the star Michigan football QB.

“Everybody in that room has had an open relationship, but my and (JJ McCarthy)’s relationship is different, as is unique with everybody,” Michigan football coach Kirk Campbell said this week. “He’s extremely talented, as everybody knows, so we’ve got to make sure we give him the tools to be able to operate at the highest level possible. So just make sure I reach him in a way that keeps him active, keeps his brain going, pushes him to limits he’s never been before, and continues refining his fundamentals from day one because that’s what it all relies back on.”

JJ McCarthy could be ‘the best player in the country

According to Kirk Campbell, JJ McCarthy could be one of the top players in the sport. In fact, the junior Michigan football quarterback could be… the BEST.

“I think he can be the best player in the country,” Campbell said, “and we’ve got to continue to strive to be that every day.”

In order to be the best, JJ McCarthy must continue utilizing his talent across multiple areas of the game. One aspect that McCarthy said he was focusing on heading into the 2023 season was his ability to run — not just as a ball carrier, but being able to extend plays as well.

“Using his legs, not just in the run game,” the Micigan football coach began. “I mean, he extended plays in the throw game and still being an active passer. I think that’s a huge part of it. We’ve got to be smart, too. The kid is really talented. We’ve got to make sure that we get him through every game and win every game. So we’re going to use his legs when we need to, and we’ll be smart about doing that.”

Michigan football gives JJ room to grow

The Michigan football offense belongs to JJ McCarthy — it’s really as simple as that. Even when running the football, this offense has a number of benefits that are prepping McCarthy for a national title run and for the NFL Draft.

“(Michigan football has) given (JJ McCarthy) a lot more leeway and opportunity to have a better understanding of defenses to help with protection,” Campbell said. “The third down and 11 that he ripped that dig to CJ (against ECU), he changed the protection for us and got us a nice play … Change plays in and out of what’s the right looks,” Kirk Campbell continued. “(JJ McCarthy has) invested in that area. And it’s only going to help the growth of our offense and him. So yeah, we’re putting him in those situations to be able to do that.”

Additionally, Campbell made a point to note the impact of play-action and how well JJ McCarthy can execute in those situations.

“That’s part of it,” the Michigan football coach said of JJ McCarthy’s ability out of play-action. “If you have a good run game, it just helps the quarterback with play-action. We like bigger windows to throw to. You want to drop back the whole time, it’s harder to throw the football. That’s just the nature of it. So complementing with a play-action game is just more beneficial to the quarterback position.”

What makes JJ McCarthy so special for the Wolverines?

On a more personal level, Kirk Campbell also got to comment on why the third-year Michigan football quarterback is such a special addition to the Wolverines’ roster.

“His personality is infectious,” Campbell said. “Being able to relate to them on a personal level, and then get them out in the field and be able to articulate his message on how he wants them to run a certain route, is paramount to success as a quarterback. He’s done a great job of that. ‘Hey, Colston (Loveland), I want you to do this.’ And that comes with growth as a quarterback, which is where he’s at. He understands the system. He understands what we’re trying to accomplish. So he’s able to relate his message and what he wants to the receivers and tight ends.

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