Throughout his accomplished career, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has always been a reliable quote. He’s also always gone to whatever lengths necessary to pump up his own team.
On Thursday, he combined the two strategies to laud his starting quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, with a comparison that would give even the most delusional Wolverines fan some serious pause.
Harbaugh was praising McCarthy for his standout 2022 campaign, his first as the team’s full-time starter, when he offered two players for comparison: Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.
“I think there’s some comparison to Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen … and I know there are others that have that level of talent-plus at the quarterback position to do anything for their team,” Harbaugh said, per Cameron Salerno of CBS Sports. “I base that off of watching the way that Patrick Mahomes interacts with his teammates, what he says about his teammates and what they say about him. Josh Allen, what they say about him and about his teammates. That’s what I see in J.J. McCarthy every single day.”
McCarthy thrived in his first year as a full-time starter. In 14 games, he completed 64.6% of his pass attempts for 2,719 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions. He added 306 yards and five scores on the ground, guiding the Wolverines to their second consecutive Big Ten title and College Football Playoff appearance.
Big things are certainly expected of Michigan and McCarthy in 2023, though setting the bar at Mahomes and Allen might be a bit ambitious. At least McCarthy will take the field knowing his coach has the utmost confidence in him.
