Michigan fall camp: J.J. McCarthy 'next level,' Blake Corum healthy, Roman Wilson 'rolling'

There are very few question marks on the Michigan Wolverines football offense, which has exciting potential heading into the 2023 season. The Maize and Blue are led by junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy in his second year as the starter, senior running back Blake Corum, a Heisman contender last season, and a slew of veteran offensive linemen.

A 6-3, 202-pounder, McCarthy was a third-team All-Big Ten selection last season, throwing for 2,719 yards and 22 touchdowns with 5 interceptions. He’s taken the next step in his progression ahead of the 2023 campaign.

“There’s a reason why [Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh] believes he’s a generational type talent and quarterback,” Big Ten Network analyst Howard Griffith on the network’s show from U-M practice this week. “There’s a reason. He has a confidence about himself that, it’s not that he’s arrogant about it, but he truly believes in what he’s doing from the quarterback position. And where that plays is because now players have come with him. They believe in what he wants to do and what he needs to do.

“He’s an unbelievable leader, he continues to grow on the football field. And you talk about the talent that’s around him, it just continues to make him better.”

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Things are “effortless” for McCarthy right now, the quarterback said during fall camp. He’s better both mentally and physically, and it’s showing up in practice.

“What I noticed today — it’s a good benchmark for when a player has taken that next step — the game looked slowed down for him today. It looked like he was playing at a different speed than most people,” analyst and former Michigan tight end Jake Butt said. “And you watch him go through his reads — a good quarterback is going to go one to two and then maybe bail and run. And early in J.J.’s career, maybe that’s what he would do. But I saw a number of times him go one to two, flip his hips and then he’s on his backside reads. That’s next-level stuff, and that’s a big sign for me of his progress.”

Corum, junior running back Donovan Edwards and Michigan’s other weapons will make life easier for McCarthy, and vice versa. Corum, especially, had a great season until injuring his knee last November, rushing for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns. He’s back now and will be ready for the Sept. 2 opener against East Carolina.

“One thing Michigan fans are going to be excited to hear, and fans of other teams across the league might be a little bit fearful — he looks healthy,” Butt said. “I’ve experienced a number of knee surgeries. It’s the unplanned cuts where you have to react, and he looked confident doing it both ways.”

Like McCarthy, Corum has added to his game, looking crisp as a receiver, as well. The 5-8, 213-pounder hauled in 24 receptions for 141 yards and a score in 2021, but Edwards was featured more in that role last season, when Corum only had 11 grabs for 80 yards and a touchdown.

“One thing I also noticed — catching the ball out of the backfield, adding that extra element,” Butt said of the Michigan running back. “You want to get a little bit better every single year. That was typically Donovan last year, but maybe you have the option now to keep them both on the field. Blake running routes out of the backfield, looked even crisper, caught the ball smooth today. So similar to J.J., their leaders are taking steps forward.”

Michigan senior wide receiver Roman Wilson is one who’s generated a lot of buzz this fall camp, with numerous individuals, including his teammates, mentioning him as a standout. One play caught the eye of the analysts, but he impressed outside of that, too.

“Let me be clear, I saw a pass caught today by Roman Wilson that I haven’t seen all camp,” Griffith said with emphasis.

“It looked like Justin Jefferson in the playoffs last year,” Butt chimed in.

“In traffic … and I know he’s not going to get hit out here, and he knows that as well, but in traffic, to elevate, to one-hand catch the ball … I mean, he is practicing,” Griffith continued. “Today, he was rolling, and they were finding a way to get him the ball.”

Michigan will find ways to get sophomore tight end Colston Loveland the ball, too. Loveland scored touchdowns at Ohio State and versus Purdue in the Big Ten championship game, breaking out at the end of last season and proving to be quite the receiver.

“Just watch out,” Butt said, discussing Loveland. “No. 18, he proved it those last few games down the stretch of the season, but they call it that ‘sophomore leap.’ I expect him — 50 balls, 600 yards, 6 touchdowns, that’s within the realm of possibility, for sure.”