The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1511544
DECEMBER 2023 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 21 Ten championships.' Those are things that very few quarterbacks can say." After that, McCarthy could get another crack at the College Football Playoff. If he does, Jansen insisted it's the opportunity to take the next step. "Command the moment," Jansen said. "Against Georgia, he came in late and had to sling the ball around, see if he could make something happen. That game was pretty much decided by the time he was in there. "Against TCU, you've got to start off being better. You've got to start off making better decisions, start off finishing drives. Command the moment. "It's not all on the quarterback, but they lead the team. He wasn't eligible to be a captain, but you've got to be a leader on the field, the general. You're not too high; you're not too low. You're an even-keeled guy that just goes out there and makes plays and gives your team an opportunity to be successful." A BELOVED SON McCarthy has given Michigan that op- portunity over and over again. He's given his head coach a boost in many ways, in- cluding championship rings and — at long last — an upper hand in showdowns with the Buckeyes. But there's more to McCarthy than football boasts, Harbaugh noted. Much more. "He's like a beloved son," Harbaugh exclaimed. "Everything about him, the way he approaches everything. The way he treats young kids. The way he treats adults. The respect that he has. He'll pop up off his chair and go shake somebody's hand. The gratitude for everything. The smile with the kids. "My son Jack feels like J.J.'s his best friend. That's a beautiful thing. That's his role model. J.J. makes him feel that way. I've seen that with dozens of kids. You want to hug him. That's the kind of guy that he is. "As a football player, in my mind he's Tom Brady in his preparation, his willing- ness to be coached, his wanting to do any- thing and everything he can for his own personal growth and also for the team. "Then he's got this side of him that I've only seen in one other quarterback, Jim McMahon. It's the love, and the fun the guy has playing the game of football. "I've never seen that personality — ul- tra competitive, but empathetic, come together in a football quarterback the way it does. He's like a blend of Tom Brady and Jim McMahon. Hard not to love that." ❏ Most Passing Yards — Season Player Yards Year 1. John Navarre 3,331 2003 2. Shea Patterson 3,061 2019 3. Jake Rudock 3,017 2015 4. Devin Gardner 2,960 2013 5. John Navarre 2,905 2002 6. Chad Henne 2,743 2004 7. Jim Harbaugh 2,729 1986 8. J.J. McCarthy 2,719 2022 9. Tom Brady 2,636 1998 10. Shea Patterson 2,600 2018 … — J.J. McCarthy 2,194 2023 Most Passing Yards — Career Player Yards Years 1. Chad Henne 9,715 2004-07 2. John Navarre 9,254 2000-03 3. Elvis Grbac 6,460 1989-92 4. Devin Gardner 6,336 2010-14 5. Denard Robinson 6,250 2009-12 6. Todd Collins 5,858 1991-94 7. Shea Patterson 5,661 2018-19 8. Jim Harbaugh 5,449 1983-86 9. J.J. McCarthy 5,429 2021-23 10. Tom Brady 5,351 1996-99 Touchdown Passes — Career Player TDs Years 1. Chad Henne 87 2004-07 2. John Navarre 72 2000-03 3. Elvis Grbac 71 1989-92 4. Denard Robinson 49 2009-12 5. Rick Leach 48 1975-78 6. J.J. McCarthy 45 2021-23 Shea Patterson 45 2018-19 8. Devin Gardner 44 2010-14 9. Steve Smith 42 1980-83 10. Todd Collins 37 1991-94 Completion Percentage — Season Player Pct. Year 1. J.J. McCarthy 76.2 2023 2. Todd Collins 65.3 1992 3. Jim Harbaugh 65.0 1986 Elvis Grbac 65.0 1991 5. Elvis Grbac 64.8 1992 6. Todd Collins 64.6 1994 Shea Patterson 64.6 2018 J.J. McCarthy 64.6 2022 Completion Percentage — Career Player Pct. Years 1. J.J. McCarthy 68.1 2021-23 2. Todd Collins 64.3 1991-94 3. Jake Rudock 64.0 2015 4. Cade McNamara 63.0 2020-22 5. Elvis Grbac 62.5 1989-92 — John Borton J.J. Rising In The Ranks Junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy keeps moving on up. Through Nov. 12, here's where he stands among Michigan's elites behind center entering what could be the final stretch of his U-M career. McCarthy has a legion of fans, both young and old, who appreciate his cheerful demeanor and love of the game. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN