Sherrone Moore calls on JJ McCarthy to trust himself more in 2023 season

J.J. McCarthy is expected to have a huge season for the Michigan Wolverines in 2023, offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore believes it all starts with trust.

The expectations will be huge and placed firmly upon McCarthy’s shoulders for the Wolverines, but Moore believes that his quarterback can carry the load with the many improvements he’s made over the offseason.

“I think just trusting himself,” Moore answered, via the MGoBlue Podcast, asked what McCarthy’s been working on. “Trusting his progressions. Trust all that. Just go through them, like he did in the spring. You really saw that in the spring carry over from the fall. Instead of sometimes where it felt like he was just out there making plays, now he’s going through the progressions. Going through the reads. Knows exactly where the ball is going to go. He on time with his feet. Everything just looks so comfortable for him.

“He just looks kind of like he’s in a video game sometimes. Just excited to watch him do that, and to continue to do that as he goes through fall.”

The talent has always been there for McCarthy. If Moore is unlocking something greater, than the rest of the college football world could be in trouble.

Sherrone Moore on JJ McCarthy’s improvements: ‘I think he’s just trusting himself.’

Moreover, Moore continued to elaborate on his quarterback, believing his leadership ability to be part of his top qualities.

“He always had arm talent and strength and all that,” Moore said. “What he’s done now with his body, he started to form his body even more. But mentally into the game, he knows the playbook like we do. And I think when a quarterback does that, and he’s always around like, besides if he’s not in class, he’s here. 

“So when a quarterback starts doing that, especially your starter, that really changes the game. Then from a leadership standpoint, he’s starting to take that ownership and you know, he’s got it. We’ve got so many good leaders on the team. You don’t want too many guys to be talking but I always told him as a quarterback, you have the trump card to get it how you want it to be done.”

Last season at Michigan, McCarthy threw for 2,719 yards, 22 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 64.6% completion percentage. He added 306 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

Over his career, McCarthy has 3,235 yards, 27 touchdowns, seven interceptions, a 63.5% completion percentage, 430 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.

As a member of the Class of 2021, JJ McCarthy was a four-star recruit out of La Grange Park (Ill.) IMG Academy (Fla.), according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 12 overall prospect in the state of Florida, the No. 9 quarterback in the class and the No. 47 overall prospect in the class.

2023 could be JJ McCarthy’s greatest season yet for Michigan, and we’re excited to see it come to fruition.