Why analysts are pinning JJ McCarthy as the ‘X-Factor’ for the 2023 Michigan football season

The 2023 Michigan football season will largely hinge on the play of one Wolverine: second-year starting quarterback JJ McCarthy, who won the starting job just two weeks into the 2022 season. If the Maize and Blue are to finally break through their glass ceiling and play for the national championship this fall, McCarthy needs to be the man to get Michigan past all of its regular season and post-season hurdles, becoming an ‘X-Factor’ for the program.

The 2023 Michigan football season hinges on the passing attack

Last year, JJ McCarthy got off to a slow start during his first season as Michigan’s starting quarterback. Despite this, he eventually got back in rhythm, leading his Wolverines to an impressive 13-1 overall record (most wins in program history), culminating with a second-straight Big Ten title and College Football Playoff appearance for Michigan football. Additionally, the Wolverines downed Ohio State by 22 points in Columbus, largely due to McCarthy’s stellar play.

Still, he threw two pick-6s in the CFP semi-final, which was a deciding factor in the Wolverines’ six-point Fiesta Bowl loss to TCU. This year, expectations are high for JJ McCarthy and the Michigan football offense — if Jim Harbaugh’s team is going to finally get over the hump and play for a national title, something the program hasn’t done since 1997, the Wolverines need more than just a strong rushing attack.

Analysts hype is based on JJ McCarthy taking the next step

Many analysts, including ESPN’s Rece Davis, are considering putting the Wolverines at No. 1 nationally heading into the 2023 Michigan football season. That said, this is based on the assumption that Michigan will finally have a strong passing attack to pair with its elite offensive line and ground game.

“A lot of what they’re going to do this upcoming season, with achieving their goals, is going to be on the pass game. To me, it’s about having the ability to throw the ball deep, to keep the defense honest,” said ON3 analyst JD Pickell when talking about Michigan’s offense. “When it comes to what Michigan is going to do and when they end up playing a Georgia or a Bama or a LSU, the trenches is what it comes down to. Can you keep a team stacking the box and when they do stack the box, can you make them pay?”

If JJ McCarthy can take the next step and become a premier quarterback in the Big Ten, perhaps even in the nation, the 2023 Michigan football season is bound to be one of the program’s best ever.

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