Michigan’s JJ McCarthy has many massive opportunities in 2023

As all Michigan football fans know by now, this fall is supposed to be a special season for the Wolverines. Michigan returns more production than any Big Ten team as well as one of the best transfer classes in the nation. On top of that, the Wolverines’ coaching staff is still intact from a season ago, and they boast star players at vital offensive positions such as offensive line, running back, and of course, JJ McCarthy at quarterback.

This year, much of Michigan’s success will likely hinge on McCarthy’s performance. If JJ can pick up where he left off last season — specifically his final three games of the season (Ohio State, Purdue, TCU) — the Wolverines’ offense will be virtually unstoppable.

For McCarthy, there are plenty of opportunities on the table right now, both as a team player and an individual.

Individual opportunities for JJ McCarthy in 2023

The first set of individual accomplishments that Michigan’s JJ McCarthy is looking at is the Wolverines’ single-season passing records. Throughout the long and rich history of Michigan football, the Wolverines have never really had an elite quarterback that has passed for remarkable numbers. Instead, Michigan has a series of quarterbacks, such as Tom Brady and Jim Harbaugh, that were remarkable on the field yet standard on the stat sheet.

Michigan’s single-season passing yards record is 3,331 yards, which was set two decades ago by U-M legend John Navarre. Seeing as McCarthy threw for over 2,700 yards — despite not earning the starting role until Week 2 — a season ago, there is a good chance that, with more passing opportunities this fall, McCarthy could snap this record.

On top of the Wolverines’ passing yards record is Michigan’s incredibly underwhelming single-season passing touchdown record, which currently sits at 25. In 2022, McCarthy got close to the record with 22 throughout the season — assuming he earns more passings reps this fall, we could see McCarthy overtake this record as well, as he leads Michigan football throughout the year.

On top of breaking Michigan records are national recognition, such as All-Big Ten and All-America honors. McCarthy is yet to make 1st team All-Big Ten or the All-America list, so both will be major boxes for him to check this fall.

Obviously, the most ambitious goal on McCarthy’s achievement list is the 2023 Heisman Trophy — he is in the top-15 in Heisman betting odds right now, though heading into the year, only time will tell if Michigan’s offensive scheme allows him to put up the numbers necessary to bring a Heisman to Ann Arbor for the first time since Charles Woodson did it in 1997.

Team awards trump all for McCarthy

Heading into the season, most see it as likely that Michigan football will compete for a Big Ten title the weekend after ‘The Game’ for the 3rd year in a row. The Wolverines are loaded on both sides of the football, and if McCarthy’s play can continue to improve, there will be few teams (if any) capable of slowing down Michigan football this fall.

More important than a passing record or the Heisman Trophy are team awards — this year, McCarthy could do something that has yet to be done since Gary Moeller was the head coach in the early 1990s. The Wolverines have won two Big Ten titles in a row; the last time Michigan football won three in a row was 1990-92.

Additionally, despite being in the College Football Playoff two years in a row now, the Wolverines are yet to appear in a National Championship game — McCarthy and Co. will be looking to buck this trend as well, perhaps even bringing a National title back to Ann Arbor for the first time since 1997 under former head coach Lloyd Carr.

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