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Michigan Wolverines football: JJ McCarthy gunning for program record in 2023

JJ McCarthy is looking to write his name into the Michigan football record books this fall.

Published

4 weeks ago

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Michigan Wolverines football, JJ McCarthy
Sep 17, 2022; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) rushes in the first half against the Connecticut Huskies at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Wolverines are coming off their winningest season in program history, with a record of 13-1 and a Big Ten title under their belt. However, their 2022 campaign ended in disappointment as they lost to TCU in the Fiesta Bowl by a mere six points. To finally compete for a national title in the upcoming 2023 season, the Michigan Wolverines football offense needs to step up, and that will begin with JJ McCarthy.

As a rising junior and second-year starter in the Maize and Blue, the weight of the world rests on Michigan’s former five-star quarterback. McCarthy’s margin for error is slim if Michigan is to compete for the title this year, particularly in the later stages of the season. With a lot on the line and massive expectations this fall, JJ McCarthy could be eyeing a Michigan Wolverines football program record right now. The most touchdowns that a quarterback has ever thrown in the Maize and Blue is 25, set in 2004 when Chad Henne led his team to a share of the Big Ten Championship, which was the Wolverines’ most recent title until Jim Harbaugh’s squad won back-to-back conference titles in 2021 and 2022.

Michigan football quarterback JJ McCarthy looking to break Wolverines’ passing record in 2023

Nearly 20 years ago, legendary quarterback Chad Henne tied the Michigan football single-season passing touchdowns record on his way to a Big Ten title. This coming fall, the record may finally be broken by the young and talented JJ McCarthy, who is now yet a junior in the winged helmet.

Last season, McCarthy came close to breaking or tying the record despite not starting in Week 1 against Colorado State. He threw 22 touchdowns and five interceptions, a few of which came in the CFP loss on New Year’s Eve, during his first year as Michigan’s starter. Reports from spring ball indicate that Michigan football is developing its quarterbacks, especially McCarthy, at an impressive rate. He has bulked up, become faster, stronger, and has been hitting every throw so far.

Moreover, the Wolverines have added a new pass-catcher, AJ Barner, and have revamped their offensive line, which could be even better than before. Additionally, Michigan football currently has only one play-caller on the offensive side of the football, O-line coach Sherrone Moore, who may be looking to open up the playbook more in the second year of the JJ McCarthy era.

It would be criminal to not let JJ sling it this fall

JJ McCarthy is a former five-star talent with both the arm and legs to match his highly sought-after rating. Over his two years on Michigan’s sideline, McCarthy has impressed nationally, especially towards the end of the 2022 college football season when he took over and dominated against Ohio State and Purdue. Despite throwing two game-defining pick-sixes against TCU, McCarthy still played one of the best games of his career. If he can eliminate those mistakes this fall, Michigan football will have one of the best offenses in the sport.

With many challenges ahead for the Wolverines, McCarthy appears to be the centerpiece of what could be Michigan’s first national title run since 1997. If the offense opens up and allows JJ McCarthy to showcase his talents more this fall, as many believe it will, Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines football program will have a new single-season passing touchdown leader by 2024. This offense is built to succeed, and JJ’s talent will undoubtedly shine through if given the chance.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Managing Editor 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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FOOTBALL

Michigan football veteran defensive lineman is looking primed for a breakout season

Michigan football defensive lineman Kris Jenkins is looking like a beast heading into 2023!

Published

23 hours ago

on

May 29, 2023

By

Michigan football, Kris Jenkins
Michigan defensive lineman Kris Jenkins (94) celebrates a play against TCU during the second half at the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022.

Few have been as good as Michigan football when it comes to producing elite defensive linemen at the college level. In 2023, defensive linemen Mazi Smith and Mike Morris were drafted into the NFL. The year prior, Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo were also drafted. Now, the Wolverines look primed to have another stud defensive lineman head to the NFL draft as Kris Jenkins looks prepped and ready to go for 2023.

Michigan football defensive lineman Kris Jenkins is taking off-season training to a new level

Every year, Michigan’s strength and conditioning team does an elite job of developing in the off-season. In fact, strength coach Ben Herbert is widely known as one of the best in the business.

Heading into 2023, he appears to be working some magic again. Defensive lineman Kris Jenkins has been a consistent player in the defensive line rotation for Michigan over the years. However, he’s never quite had his opportunity to break out. In 2023, that opportunity might be on the way!

In 2022, Jenkins was listed at 6-foot-3, 285 pounds, and looked like an absolute beast. Still, it appears he wasn’t happy with his 285-pound frame, though, as he recently took to Twitter to update fans on his current weight.

If this is real, and Jenkins does indeed stand at 309 pounds, then offensive linemen be warned. Defensive lineman Kris Jenkins looks like an absolute menace right now and could be prepping to take over college football. He clearly has the will to improve; now we have to see it take shape on the football field.

How high can his stock rise for the 2024 NFL draft?

For now, it’s not looking like Kris Jenkins will be a top draft pick. That’s not exactly a knock on him, but rather a situation of opportunity. In 2021, Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo were the stars of the show. Then in 2022, Mazi Smith was the man of the hour, eating up seemingly three blocks every single play. Now, it seems like the door is open for a breakout season for Jenkins, and it could literally pay off in the form of the 2024 NFL draft.

In his last two seasons with the program, Jenkins has recorded a total of 76 tackles and two sacks. While the sack numbers are low, they aren’t all that concerning, mainly because he’s more of a run-stopper than anything. In fact, that extra weight should only increase his ability to stop the run.

For the time being, Jenkins has the makings of a middle-rounder in the NFL draft, but this could quickly improve with a big season in 2023. It’s all up to him, and he’s aware of it. Considering the significant changes to his body already this off-season, he’s put the work in. Now, he just needs to show what he’s capable of on the field.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Managing Editor 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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Blake Corum, JJ McCarthy ranked top 25 in college football NIL value

Blake Corum and JJ McCarthy are fantastic examples of what NIL value can look like for Michigan football!

Published

3 days ago

on

May 27, 2023

By

NIL value, Blake Corum, JJ McCarthy, Michigan football
Michigan running back Blake Corum and quarterback J.J. McCarthy run against Iowa during the first half of the Big Ten championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021.

We’ve hit the point where Michigan football now fully understands the importance of NIL. For the beginning portions of the new NCAA rule, which allows college athletes to be paid based on their name, image and likeness, the University of Michigan showed some hesitations. This now appears to be a thing of the past as Blake Corum and JJ McCarthy are listed as two of the top 25 players in college football in NIL value.

Blake Corum and JJ McCarthy are proof of Michigan football’s ability to work NIL value

In an era in which NIL rules all, if your football program doesn’t know how to use it, they’ll generally struggle to compete with the best in college football. That’s why programs such as Georgia, USC and even Colorado have been able to take over the college football landscape.

While the University of Michigan hasn’t been bad in taking advantage of NIL, it hasn’t been a priority for them. However, that is no longer the case, as two Michigan football stars have some of the best NIL value in college football, according to ON3. Blake Corum is coming off of one of the best running back seasons in Michigan football history. JJ McCarthy is one of the best quarterbacks in college football and maybe the best in the Big Ten.

Blake Corum took his elite past couple of seasons and turned them into NIL deals with some major brands. Companies like Outback Steakhouse, Subway and M Den have all signed deals with him.

On the flip side, while McCarthy has only been the starter at Michigan for one season, this hasn’t hurt his NIL value in the slightest. In just one year starting, he’s signed deals with big-time companies like Bose, Essentia Water and Topps.

Michigan’s stars have used their NIL value for the betterment of the community

For some college athletes, having thousands of extra dollars in their bank account would be a dream. They’d be able to buy just about anything they wanted, all while being able to play the sport they love.

For Wolverines like Blake Corum and JJ McCarthy, they had different ideas for ways to use that money. Since their NIL paychecks began coming in, the two stars have looked to the community to find ways to help.

Blake Corum, for instance, used Thanksgiving as an opportunity to give back. Days before Thanksgiving 2021 and 2022, Corum walked around Ypsilanti, delivering turkeys to various families. It was a small gesture, but it significantly impacted the lives of those who received one.

JJ McCarthy had a similar idea, donating money to multiple children’s hospitals. He made this decision following the tragic shooting at Oxford High School in 2021.

With Blake Corum and JJ McCarthy continuing to rise in stardom, even more opportunities to give back could arise. In the meantime, the two players are top 25 in NIL value in college football and have used it to help make their communities a better place. With this kind of NIL success popping up in Ann Arbor, don’t be surprised to see more athletes donning the ‘block M’ in the future.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Managing Editor 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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New Michigan football transfer portal target emerges in veteran defensive back

A new transfer target has been offered by Jim Harbaugh and the staff.

Published

3 days ago

on

May 27, 2023

By

Michigan football transfer portal, Josh Wallace
Oct 2, 2021; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh looks on during the second quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

This year’s Michigan football roster is one of the best in the nation, boasting loads of talent and potential, and aligning the Wolverines with the national championship discussion. The one area of concern that Michigan still has is at cornerback — with Will Johnson still battling injury and the room looking a bit shallow, the Wolverines could use some extra depth ahead of their 2023 campaign. Yesterday, a new Michigan football transfer poral target emerged in the form of former three-star UMass defensive back Josh Wallace, a native of Maryland.

New Michigan football transfer portal target: UMass cornerback Josh Wallace

Throughout his remarkable career, Wallace has consistently demonstrated his exceptional skills and leadership qualities. As a team captain at UMass, he earned the trust and admiration of his teammates and coaches, solidifying his reputation as a natural leader both on and off the field.

Notably, Wallace’s outstanding performance on the gridiron earned him recognition as a second-team All-Independent honoree, further underscoring his impact within the conference. This accolade serves as a testament to his consistent excellence and highlights his ability to make a significant impact in every game he plays.

Wallace’s career thus far

During the thrilling 2022 season, Wallace’s presence was felt in all 12 games he participated in. His defensive prowess shone through as he recorded an impressive total of 41 tackles, including three tackles for loss. His ability to disrupt plays and make crucial stops showcased his versatility and knack for making a difference on every down.

Moreover, Wallace’s remarkable playmaking abilities were on full display as he contributed with one fumble recovery, two interceptions, and eight pass breakups. His exceptional awareness and keen instincts allowed him to create turnovers and provide strong coverage in the secondary, making him a force to be reckoned with.

As Wallace continues to progress in his career, his consistent performance, exceptional leadership, and game-changing abilities make him an invaluable asset to any team. With each accomplishment, he solidifies his status as a rising star in the world of football, hinting at a bright and prosperous future ahead.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Managing Editor 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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