There’s a lot that could derail Michigan’s No. 3 football team right now. The Wolverines are without head coach Jim Harbaugh due to a suspension in the Big Ten East championship game against No. 2 Ohio State. Their once-dominant offensive line has sunk to mediocrity. To top it all off, their quarterback has been injured.
However, that quarterback, junior J.J. McCarthy, could be a part of the solution. Last season, he rushed for 263 yards and three touchdowns as the Buckeyes were defeated on the road. Michigan will rely on the quarterback who led the team to a road victory last season to complete the three-peat.
McCarthy, simply put, has done it before. He’s now trying to do it again.
“I think experience is one of the most valuable advantages a player can have,” McCarthy said on Monday. “And just going into that first drive last year, all those emotions that were creeping in.” It was an experience I’d never had before. So it’s now predictable, and thus manageable, and I’ll know how to deal with my emotions and bring them down to where they need to be.”
But doing it again is a different story. While McCarthy may be more aware of what lies ahead, he is hampered by a slew of factors affecting his present.
His offensive line, for example, is nowhere near as dominant as it was in the previous two Joe Moore-winning seasons. The offensive dynamic has also shifted significantly, with McCarthy making more passes than usual until the last two weeks. McCarthy demonstrated that ability earlier in the season, but recent struggles have called his play into question. He hasn’t thrown a touchdown in over a month, and a lower-body injury limited his mobility at times last week in a heartbreaking loss to Maryland.
When asked about his health on Monday, McCarthy said, “Last week was a little rough.” “But, you know, I’m doing really well right now.” The treatment has been excellent. And, yes, we’ll be prepared.”
Michigan is aware of the disadvantages it will face in The Game and is working to mitigate them. In his Monday press conference, acting head coach Sherrone Moore discussed how his team needs to work on executing plans for pass protection, route running, and pass completion.
He and McCarthy also understand the importance of aligning expectations and game plans as a coach and quarterback. As quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell put it in October, McCarthy’s abilities provide him with a “vast pre-snap menu.” With Moore’s responsibilities spread so thin, they’re trying to strike a balance between keeping him in check enough to be effective but also balanced enough to be dangerous.
McCarthy can better prepare himself for the split-second decisions he’ll have to make against the Buckeyes by understanding what he’ll see from them. That doesn’t rule out a poor performance entirely, but it may help prevent one.
McCarthy’s return to his usual level of play is critical. If the Wolverines’ coaching staff is unable to control most aspects of The Game, the Buckeyes may exploit their weaknesses.
So they turn to McCarthy, one of their most potent weapons when he’s fully charged. If he can fully recover from his injury or play through it, he’ll be the type of playmaker needed to destroy Ohio State’s top-three defense. Sure, his performance can be erratic, as evidenced by his interception against the Terrapins. Michigan, on the other hand, is willing to take that risk.
“Let him be himself.” “Let him be himself,” Moore said again. “You can’t put handcuffs on a really good player; you have to let him play.” He made the error, learned from it, and will not make it again. So that’ll be huge for us as we get closer to the finish line.”
