J.J. McCarthy holds the key to Michigan's College Football Playoff chances in 2023

J.J. McCarthy holds the keys to Michigan’s playoff hopes, as a quarterback generally does. But it’s how the Wolverines’ offense evolves in 2023 that’ll tell the story.

Despite a dominant running game and a suffocating defense, Michigan’s quarterback will drive the, imaginary in this case, car to a national title. However, Michigan has to get back to the College Football Playoff first.

On3’s J.D. PicKell broke it all down on The Hard Count.

“And the individual that I think is holding the keys for that team is J.J. McCarthy, the quarterback going into his second year as a starter there,” PicKell said. “And the question I have to ask is, if Michigan is dangerous already with what J.J. McCarthy was in 2022, which is not a bad quarterback by any stretch of the imagination, I think you make a very real case that he’s going to be the top quarterback in the Big Ten going into 2023.

“But the way they did it last year, it was bully ball. It was we’re gonna move you against your will. We’re going to hand the ball to Blake Corum, we’re gonna hit Donovan Edwards, and there’s not much you can do about it.”

But that was last year and this is the now. McCarthy must take a step forward. He was good last year, but we’re talking high quality passing numbers and not old school, beat you up Big Ten quarterback play.

“So that was the 2022 formula,” PicKell said. “And we’ve said this a couple of times on this very show, but if J.J. McCarthy evolves and elevates his game, and the offense evolves with him, how much more dangerous is Michigan going to be for everybody else? Because we talked about it with the game against Ohio State and the statement they made in the second half and that’s all true, but we got to talk about this. They weren’t really running the ball all that well in the first half.” 

PicKell expanded upon his point about last year’s Ohio State game. Without the run game, you have to lean on McCarthy.

“It wasn’t the black and blue downhill kind of attack that we had seen from Michigan during the year, they were actually having trouble running the football at half,” PicKell said. “We were all saying all right, Ohio State stopped the run. Let’s see if they can, you know, get some points here in the second half. Like that was the conversation we were having in the press box before that second half avalanche sort of happened. 

“So to put it simply, if J.J. McCarthy and this Michigan offense are able to be as dangerous through the air or even a variation of as dangerous through the air as they are on the ground, Michigan’s gonna have a chance to play for a national title.”

Michigan is a popular choice to contend for a national title with McCarthy back under center. And as PicKell pointed out, it’s hard to overlook the amount of talent back for the Wolverines.

“So much back on this team, they’re in the top five in terms of returning production in the country like Michigan, expect to play for a national championship,” PicKell said. “J.J. McCarthy, taking that next step. And the offense taking the next step with him, quite frankly, is going to be without a doubt a piece that we have to watch in this College Football Playoff race.”