Ron Bellamy: 'Best quarterback in America' J.J. McCarthy is 'one of the best leaders I've ever been around'
Michigan Wolverines football has a returning starting quarterback for the first time since 2019. Junior J.J. McCarthy led the Wolverines to a Big Ten championship and 13-1 record a year ago but has been said to have taken another step forward in his development this offseason.
Leadership has been an area in which he’s progressed mightily, now an upperclassman who’s played on the biggest stages multiple times over.
“We had a great spring ball,” Michigan wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy — who played at U-M and in the NFL — said on the ‘In The Trenches’ podcast with host Jon Jansen. J.J. is one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around. He had a great spring. I always start off with the quarterback; that’s the leader of your offense.”
Bellamy elaborated on the leadership of McCarthy, who threw for 2,719 yards and 22 touchdowns with 5 interceptions in 2022.
“If the coaches weren’t there, what would it look like?” Bellamy said “You visualize that. And J.J. is a kid that can lead the operation.
“You watch him out there talking to his teammates, pulling a receiver aside and walking through things with him or just taking accountability even if a receiver may have not caught a ball or something of that nature. He’s like, ‘I’ll get it there.’ It’s like, ‘No, we’ll get there.’ Those are the signs that you look like — man, this kid gets it.
“[Quarterbacks] Coach [Kirk] Campbell has done a fantastic job with J.J., and we love J.J. He’s the heart and soul of our football team.”
McCarthy does “J.J. things,” his teammates have said quite a bit over the last year. He’s mobile in and out of the pocket and has a big arm, which allows him to make big-time plays as both a runner and passer.
“What makes J.J. a great quarterback outside of his leadership skills is his talent,” Bellamy said of the Michigan signal-caller. “J.J. can make every throw.
“He can make every throw, and the most dangerous part about J.J. is he can extend plays. Receivers love that, right? DBs lose sight of receivers and you run down the field open.
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“But J.J. is a complete quarterback, and just watching him go through a progression, just watching him [do] whatever the coaches put on his plate, he was able to chew it up and digest it and go out there on the field and execute it.
“We’re super excited about J.J. As a football team, but particularly in our receiver room, we know we have the best quarterback in America.”
Ron Bellamy says rest of offense had big spring
Bellamy was asked about the offense as a whole, before leading off with his initial comment about McCarthy, but also discussed the rest of the position groups.
“Offensive line — Coach [Sherrone] Moore is the best O-line coach in America. Those guys were humming this spring,” the Michigan assistant said.
“The running backs look good, and Coach [Grant] Newsome has done a phenomenal job with the tight ends.
“The receivers … [graduate] Cornelius [Johnson] and [senior] Roman [Wilson], having those guys back has been very great for our room. Having some of the younger guys — [sophomores] Tyler Morris, Darrius Clemons — step up. [Junior] Cristian Dixon and you got the [junior] Peyton O’Learys. And two of the younger guys, [freshmen] Fred Moore and Semaj Morgan, came in, early enrollees, and did a fantastic job.
“Just from a growth and development standpoint offensively, we did some really great things, made some really big strides. I’m excited to get going with camp to see how this thing evolves.”
Michigan begins the 2023 season at The Big House Sept. 2 against East Carolina.
