Jim Harbaugh honest about J.J. McCarthy's development in 2023

Jim Harbaugh just wants J.J. McCarthy to be J.J. McCarthy. The Michigan quarterback is arguably the biggest key to the Wolverines’ national title hopes this season.

Going into his third year with the program, and second as a starter, McCarthy knows what the big stage is like. It’s just getting over the College Football Playoff semifinal hump.

Harbaugh was asked what McCarthy had to do, or what he’s done, for improvement going into the 2023 season.

“Just do JJ,” Harbaugh said on Big Ten Network. “Anytime, just do him. It’s working. Anytime there’s anything that you coach him on, on any coaching point, he automatically works at it and gets better at it. And there’s no big head for him. I just could not ever predict him falling into that deep, dark, lonely trap. So he’s in a great place right now. best he’s ever been. 

“When you see him … he got his man year. You know, el naturale. 10 more pounds. The baby fat is gone. He looks great. He’s in a great place. Throwing the ball, moving around better than ever.”

Harbaugh didn’t hold back his praise of McCarthy earlier in the day.

“He’s a once-in-a-generational type of quarterback at Michigan, and his progress continues to grow,” Harbaugh said of McCarthy. “Daily he’s at the top of his game right now, really in all aspects. Everything that he does athletically, everything that he does throwing the football are at the elite level, and then I think the thing that makes him the most special, differentiating good and great, is that he’s willing to do anything for his teammates, anything for his team.”

Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, yes those two star NFL quarterbacks, remind Harbaugh of McCarthy in some ways.

“I think some compare him to Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, would be two. And I know there’s others that have that level of talent plus the quarterback position willing to do anything for their team,” Harbaugh said.

“I base that off of watching the way that Patrick Mahomes interacts with his teammates, what he says about his teammates, what they say about him. Josh Allen, what he says about his teammates, what they say about him. So just looking through the keyhole that way. But that’s what I see in J.J. McCarthy every single day.”

In his first full season as a starter under Harbaugh, McCarthy threw for 2,719 yards, 22 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 64.6% completion percentage. He also had 306 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.