Sunday afternoon, junior Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy announced via Twitter that he will enter his name into the 2024 NFL draft, thus bringing his time in Ann Arbor to a close.
McCarthy, who Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh routinely refers to as the greatest Michigan quarterback of all time, ends his collegiate career with three years of unprecedented success under his belt. But it was just over three years ago, and a day after the Michigan football team was blown out by Wisconsin in the midst of a 2-4 season, when things looked much bleaker.
McCarthy, then a five star recruit, tweeted and asked Wolverines fans for patience.
“I want all Michigan fans to do this,” McCarthy wrote Nov. 15 2020. “Take three deep breaths … and have faith. Faith that every single Coach, player, employee in that building is doing everything they possibly can to be great.”
And now, three and a half years later, the patience that McCarthy asked for has paid off.
With three straight victories over Ohio State, three Big Ten Championships and a national title to close out his career, McCarthy served as a key leader in Michigan’s renaissance.
His freshman year, McCarthy sat behind quarterback Cade McNamara as the Wolverines reached the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history. But it was in his sophomore year that McCarthy took the reins of the program. In a highly touted quarterback battle, McCarthy beat out McNamara, and didn’t look back.
With a strong, but conservative 2022 season as Michigan relied mostly on the run game, McCarthy guided the Wolverines to a second straight CFP semi-final appearance where he threw two pick sixes and would collect his only career loss. But in 2023, McCarthy and the program soared. With 22 touchdowns to just four interceptions, McCarthy guided Michigan to a perfect 15-0 record and ushered in the program’s first national title in 26 years.
In 28 games as Michigan’s starter, McCarthy lost only once. And in his three years in Ann Arbor, he amassed 6,226 career yards and 49 passing touchdowns, ranking sixth and fourth in Wolverines history.
Now as he looks ahead to an NFL career, McCarthy is generally ranked as a top-five quarterback prospect with some projections predicting his selection in the first round. But regardless of his selection, or the outcome of his professional career, he will be remembered as the leader of the Wolverines’ return to college football’s peak.