The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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NOVEMBER 2021 THE WOLVERINE 31 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL tality of him working on it at 2, 3 in the morning, he practices like it's a game. When you practice like it's a game, you get better. He does get tackled live a little bit, but he understands what he needs to do to prepare for a game because he's not getting those live reps. "No. 1 is the way he attacks every day. He doesn't just jog through practice. He finishes runs. I told him the other day, I'm just proud of the way he's handling things and the way he's still coming in every day. I have 100 percent confidence in him, and that's what I told him. I have 100 percent confidence when he's called upon, and this team has 100 percent con- fidence when he's called upon, and he will be ready." That could be at running back or even receiver. He's lined up in the slot a number of times, even outside, and has proven he can catch the ball. "He has great hands. He could play re- ceiver if he wanted to," Hart continued. "Donovan is a talented, talented kid." So much so that Hart gave him a "drop" for what appeared to be a ball tipped by a defender at Wisconsin. What would have been a touchdown instead fell incomplete when a defensive back flashed in front of him just enough on a wheel route. "I call it a drop because I expect him to make that catch. For everyone else, I call it a tipped ball," Hart said with a laugh. "But he makes catches like those. He had a cast on his hand all spring and caught everything. "For Donovan Edwards, that's a drop. For the normal running back, it's a tipped ball. So … he knows. He's mad he didn't make the catch." Through seven games, he has rushed 22 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns. But he's excited for his future opportuni- ties, knowing they're on the way. He still comes to work every day as though he's the No. 1 back, well aware that Haskins and Corum have earned the right to their carries. He sees the same film they all do, Hart noted, and continues to learn from his teammates. "As long as you're up front and honest with young men, they get it," he said. "If Donovan wasn't playing, and those guys were rushing for 10 yards a game, he'd have a reason to be really mad. But they're having successful seasons, both of them. "He's a great kid. He's happy, excited on the field. He gets in when we can get him in. … He's just a positive kid. He knows his chance is coming, and he pre- pares every day." —Chris Balas J.J. MCCARTHY STAYING READY FOR WHEN OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS Attending the University of Michigan was not a tough sell for freshman quar- terback J.J. McCarthy, but his relation- ship with head coach Jim Harbaugh set a foundation for special things in Ann Arbor. "Take all the football accolades out of his career and his life, just the man he is, it's really special," McCarthy told the me- dia in mid-October. "He cares more about this game and players than any coach I've ever seen so far. I really appreciate him like crazy for the human being he is. The foot- ball knowledge, don't even get me started with that. That guy knows more than … I don't even know. He knows a lot about the game." Harbaugh put his personal touch on McCarthy's recruitment from the get-go, the freshman explained. "He was the one to offer me the schol- arship," McCarthy said. "He was already trying to make personal connections. He's a J.J. as well. He was talking about the similar playing styles from when he was playing and me when I'm playing. It was really cool, him making the personal con- nection right away." McCarthy entered the season as the backup quarterback to redshirt fresh- man Cade McNamara, who has provided a template for what he hopes to be at Michigan. "My relationship with Cade has been really awesome," McCarthy said. "It's been really unique and something that I have never experienced before. I've been kind of 'the guy' all my career. Cade is someone I look up to as far as preparation and how he is as a leader. I've been doing a lot of observing of how he is around the team and the coaches, and it's been really good for me." The desire to play immediately is inher- ent in any player who steps onto a college campus. That applies tenfold when the fanbase is hungry for an extended look. McCarthy is practicing patience, but will not be unprepared when his opportunity comes. Through seven games, he has completed 12 of 19 passes (63.2 percent) for 212 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing 10 times for 53 yards and an- other score. "In chapel, [the pastor] was talking about a story of a kid at a concert," Mc- Carthy said. "Before he left, he brought his guitar pick with him. He's going to a concert with 10,000 other people, 15,000 other people. He's got that guitar pick in his pocket the whole time, and what do you know, the band asked, 'Who knows this song? Come up and play this song.' 2021 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent Time (ET)/TV Sept. 4 Western Michigan W, 47-14 Sept. 11 Washington W, 31-10 Sept. 18 Northern Illinois W, 63-10 Sept. 25 Rutgers W, 20-13 Oct. 2 at Wisconsin W, 38-17 Oct. 9 at Nebraska W, 32-29 Oct. 23 Northwestern W, 33-7 Oct. 30 at Michigan State 12/FOX Nov. 6 Indiana TBA Nov. 13 at Penn State TBA Nov. 20 at Maryland TBA Nov. 27 Ohio State 12/FOX Dec. 4 Big Ten Championship 8/FOX Edwards was used sparingly in Michigan's first seven games, carrying 22 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns, but coaches have raved about his work ethic and talent. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL