Michigan football fall camp: J.J. McCarthy ascending, freshman wide receivers 'are going to have really big years,' asserting 'dominance'

Michigan Wolverines football is nearly two full weeks into fall camp. The Maize and Blue held a very “physical” practice Monday evening, according to the Big Ten Network personnel in attendance in which both sides of the ball impressed.

Junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy is back for his second year as the starter behind center, ready to lead the offense, and he’s even better this time around.

“J.J. has completely ascended every day,” Michigan offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore told Big Ten Network. “First, you start with his fundamentals, his technique, his footwork, his hips, where his hips are throwing the football, understanding concepts conceptually — not just the play — and understanding everything from a balcony view. We say a ‘balcony view.’ You’re in a basement, you only see a little bit; when you’re on top of the balcony, you see everything. I think he understands the offense from that perspective.

“He’s throwing the football incredibly well right now. Obviously, he’s got all the talent in the world. He’s got a great command and leadership of the offense right now.

“Every single day we try to make sure he fine tunes everything with his game.”

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McCarthy, a third-team All-Big Ten selection last season, knows all about the expectations surrounding the Wolverines, who earned a No. 2 ranking in the AP poll, their highest preseason placement since 1991. But he’s focusing on the daily grind of camp more than anything right now.

“The biggest thing for me — you said expectation — is just being where my feet are, focusing on the day-to-day battles and the battles within each day,” McCarthy told BTN. “Just being consistent with everything within each day and attacking it, no matter what it is.”

He’s not alone, either, with his Michigan teammates sharing the same mentality.

“With the whole team, you never have to pull at guys to get in the gym or get some more work,” McCarthy noted.

Trio of Michigan freshman wide receivers standing out

Michigan has two veterans at wide receiver in graduate Cornelius Johnson and senior Roman Wilson. Sophomores Tyler Morris and Darrius Clemons are pushing. But it’s a trio of freshman that have caught Moore’s eye.

“C.J. Johnson — we’re excited about Cornelius and what he’s done in the past,” Moore said. “Roman Wilson — electric player. These young freshmen — Karmello English, Semaj Morgan and Fred Moore, especially — those guys have really stood out and been game-changers for us on the outsides. I think they’re going to have really big years; I think they’re going to have to help us early. Excited about that whole room as a whole, but I think those three freshmen, specifically, have done a really good job for us.”

Michigan sophomore tight end Colston Loveland will also be featured heavily. Former U-M tight end Jake Butt, now a BTN analyst, said he believes 50 catches, 600 yards and 6 touchdowns are attainable numbers for Loveland this fall.

“It looks like he’s taken a step forward as a sophomore,” Butt said after watching Michigan practice.

McCarthy agreed.

“Going from your freshman year to your sophomore year, you’ve got that year under your belt,” the Michigan quarterback said. “He just is so much more confident, so much more comfortable in the system — and he’s got the skill set to really just do anything out there with the ball. It’s just been great getting that chemistry going with him for the second year in a row, and he’s going to do big things this year.”

Michigan offensive line asserting dominance

Michigan’s offensive line has won the Joe Moore Award for the nation’s top group each of the last two seasons. The Wolverines are expected to be strong up front once again.

“When you talk about our four pillars as an offense — protect the football, assert our dominance, precise execution and maximum effort,” McCarthy began. “That No. 2, those big boys do it every single day. They assert our dominance, their dominance on one of the best defensive lines in the country every single day, so it’s great to see it.

“But they’re just so hell bent on getting better, not at just the basics and the fundamentals, they’re trying to understand each play with a balcony view, seeing, ‘why are we running this?’ They’re just growing so much more mentally, that I love to see it.”