Jim Harbaugh labels J.J. McCarthy as once-in-a-generation quarterback

JJ McCarthy has been tasked with leading Michigan back to the College Football Playoff for the third consecutive season, and second as starting quarterback.

These are lofty expectations for someone like McCarthy, who is heading into just his second season as a starter at the college level — but Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh has all the confidence in his QB1 as Michigan looks to continue their dominance across the college football landscape.

“[During] the first year he played, he played as a true freshman in games sparingly and became a full-time starter in 2022,” Harbaugh said at Big Ten media days. “I have searched my memory for somebody who has been a first-time starter and had a better first year as a first-time starter and I can’t come up with one.

“He’s a once-in-a-generational type of quarterback at Michigan, and his progress continues to grow. 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 is 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.”

McCarthy threw for 2,719 yards and 22 touchdowns on a 64.6% completion rate in 2022. He threw just five picks in his first season as a starter with two coming in the final game of the year against TCU in the playoff. On the ground, he rushed for 306 yards and five more scores on the ground.

Those numbers don’t necessarily jump off the page by any means. Still, it was more than enough to get Michigan within reach of the promised land. Those numbers are only expected to improve, though, as Harbaugh made some towering comparisons to his QB1.

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

“I base that off of watching the way that Patrick Mahomes interacts with his teammates, what he says about his teammates, and 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.”