Michigan's J.J. McCarthy named a top 10 returning quarterback nationally for 2023
Michigan Wolverines football is the only team ranked top seven in the final 2022 Associated Press poll rankings to return its starting quarterback. Junior J.J. McCarthy is entering his first full offseason as the Wolverines’ main man behind center, and he’s considered one of the best in the nation, with PFF naming him the No. 8 returning signal-caller going into the 2023 campaign.
The quarterbacks to rank ahead of McCarthy, in order, are USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, Florida State’s Jordan Travis, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., Oregon’s Bo Nix, LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Notre Dame’s Sam Hartman.
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“McCarthy seized the starting job from Cade McNamara in the second game of the season and didn’t look back, quarterbacking Michigan to its second straight Big Ten title and playoff berth,” PFF’s Max Chadwick wrote. “He thrives outside of the original play design. McCarthy’s five passing touchdowns outside of structure were tied with Drake Maye and trailed only Caleb Williams and [Alabama’s] Bryce Young among Power Five quarterbacks.”
McCarthy started the final 13 games of Michigan’s 2022 season and won his first 12 starts, a program record. The second-team All-Big Ten selection by the media ranked third in the Big Ten with 8.4 yards per pass, completed 64.6 percent of his throws and racked up 2,719 yards. He tossed 22 touchdowns against just 5 interceptions. Three of those picks went for six points for the opponent.
He didn’t just run for 306 yards and 5 touchdowns, too, his legs were a huge piece of the passing game. His mobility allowed him to escape the pocket and extend plays.
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McCarthy was at his best on play-action passing plays, averaging a nation’s-best 7.3 yards per attempt with 1,111 yards and 9 touchdowns. The next-best mark was Troy’s Gunnar Watson with 5.8 yards per play-action pass. Only three quarterbacks in the country with 327 or more drop-backs averaged over 4 yards per attempts on play-action throws.
McCarthy was the lone Big Ten quarterback to appear on the list. Many teams in the league will be breaking in new starting signal-callers next fall, meaning Michigan will see some new faces. That gives the Wolverines a leg up in continuity.
The Wolverines are set to bring back several key pieces on the offense, most notably at running back with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. Three of the five starting offensive linemen are also set to return, led by Zak Zinter, who was a potential first-round draft pick had he decided to leave for the NFL.
