Jim Harbaugh goes in depth on how JJ McCarthy won Michigan's starting QB job

No. 4 Michigan has a new starting quarterback. On Saturday night, coach Jim Harbaugh turned over the reins and announced sophomore JJ McCarthy starting would continue following a highly successful first career start in a 56-10 win over Hawaii.

McCarthy turned in what Harbaugh called a “near-flawless performance,” in which he went 11-of-12 passing for 229 yards and three touchdowns without throwing an interception.

“As I said, it’s hard to do that in practice, hit guys in stride 40, 50 yards downfield,” Harbaugh said of McCarthy’s big outing. “Definitely was in the zone and it was great to see. I wouldn’t hold any quarterback to that standard, you know 100% completion percentage every night when somebody is making their start.”

Harbaugh happy with how starting quarterback competition played out

Michigan went into the season with the plan to split the starts in the first two games between McCarthy and more established veteran Cade McNamara. McNamara started the season opener and helped Michigan roll to a 51-7 win, but he wasn’t all that sharp.

So the door to JJ McCarthy starting was already fairly open.

Then McCarthy went out and slammed the door shut in a big win over the Rainbow Warriors. An outing of turnover-free football with extreme accuracy will do that, though Harbaugh maintained his public praise of McNamara, who helped guide the team to a College Football Playoff berth last year.

“(McCarthy) really played well. They both have,” Harbaugh said. “They both can stretch the field. I’ve said it, they’ve both got the arm talent to make all those throws.”

JJ McCarthy starting gives Wolverines most upside

So what will McCarthy offer the Wolverines?

The 6-foot-3, 196-pound gunslinger is a dynamic playmaker who can unlock virtually every area of the field with his arm. He connected on four passes of at least 30 yards in the win over Hawaii.

Moreover, he’s got the kind of pedigree where you’d expect him to handle the limelight fairly well; McCarthy was rated as the No. 47 overall prospect in the nation among the 2021 On3 Consensus Top Football Recruits. He was the ninth-rated quarterback in his class.