Jim Harbaugh delivers immense praise for JJ McCarthy after Big Ten Championship

Following the Big Ten Championship Game, Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh delivered overwhelming praise for quarterback JJ McCarthy.

Harbaugh explained that he would follow McCarthy to Hell and argued that he’s one of the best, if not the best, quarterback in all of college football.

“I would just add JJ McCarthy, I’ve said it before, I would follow him to Hell and back,” Jim Harbaugh said. “Again, tonight…he made throws — the one throw he made, and it got called back for a holding call and some other great throws.”

Michigan won the Big Ten Championship Game 26-0 over Iowa. That was despite struggles on the offensive side of the ball. However, amid those struggles, Harbaugh praised McCarthy for his composure during the game.

“Uncharacteristically we had some drops and uncharacteristically we had some protection issues and things that we’ll work on, and definitely Zak [Zinter] was mixed. I mean, he never hung his head. Never got on anybody. He has just got this demeanor, and the more you hit him, the more he is just motivated to come back, which is amazing,” Harbaugh said.

“Plus, he is 20 years old. I think he is the best quarterback in the country. Some will argue, but he’s got to be the youngest of the best. I see some other guys that are reclassified and been around for forever, but he’s just a kid. He’s a 20-year-old kid doing the things that he’s done, and the record he has speaks for itself.”

In 13 games this season, JJ McCarthy has completed 74.2 percent of passes for 2,630 yards and 19 touchdowns with only four interceptions. That’s 202.3 yards per game and 1.46 touchdowns per game.

“But the things you don’t see behind the scenes… you see the talent, but just the toughness and the dedication that he has for the team is unmatched,” Harbaugh concluded.

Jim Harbaugh on Jalen Milroe

Michigan is getting ready to take on Alabama in the first round of the College Football Playoff. With that in mind, Jim Harbaugh praised Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe.

“He’s got it,” Harbaugh said.

“He’s got that it factor. He’s surrounded by a lot of really superior athletes that are really well-coached and know what they’re doing. I mean, that’s a vital, critical combination. When you can coach players to do what they’re supposed to do together as a unit and when superior athletes are doing that — I mean, that’s what we think of our team. We think we are that same type of team.”