The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1511544
34 THE WOLVERINE ❱ DECEMBER 2023 J im Harbaugh might be the best quar- terback in Michigan program history — he at least has an argument. But the head coach admitted in October his cur- rent quarterback might be on pace to be that guy when he leaves, whether it's after this season or next. Harbaugh said earlier this year McCar- thy was a "generational" quarterback, in- sisting there was nobody else he'd rather have (though USC's Caleb Williams "is good, too," he said after watching the Trojans beat Colorado). But he took his praise a step further after McCarthy led the Wolverines to another great start. "I feel like I stand corrected from what I've been saying the last several months, which is I think J.J. is a once-in-a-gener- ation quarterback. J.J. has shown to be on path to be the best quarterback in Michi- gan history," Harbaugh said. "The statis- tics I'm sure speak to that, and the statis- tic that speaks to it the most is amount of successful drives [ending in points]. It's really remarkable. There's no stat that demonstrates the quality of quarterback play more than that statistic, in my mind. I think going forward, J.J. will be the quar- terback that all future quarterbacks are compared to. He's so locked in at all times, like all the guys, really. Everybody on our team, they play for each other, and he cer- tainly does. He's willing to do anything for anybody on the team. "It's perfect when you've got a quar- terback like that. Some people ask me fourth-and-2, tie ball game on the 2-yard line, what goes into that decision [against Indiana]? I know the ball's going to be in No. 9's hands. Or in [tight end] Colston [Loveland]'s hands, or [senior receiver] Roman [Wilson]'s. But mainly ❱ MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Jim Harbaugh: 'J.J. McCarthy On A Path To Be The Best Quarterback In Michigan History' Harbaugh cited McCarthy's high number of successful drives, those ending in points, as one of the statistics that stands out the most about the junior quarterback. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL