Urban Meyer, Brady Quinn assess JJ McCarthy's first half vs Iowa

On3 imageby:Nick Schultz10/01/22

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Michigan did something no other team has done against Iowa this year. The Wolverines scored 10 points in a game, and they did it in the first half behind J.J. McCarthy.

McCarthy was efficient in the first two quarters against the Hawkeyes, completing 13 of 17 passes for 105 yards to help lead the offense and help the Wolverines take a 13-0 lead into halftime. The lone touchdown came from Ronnie Bell, who took a jet sweep into the end zone to put Michigan on top.

But the focus was on McCarthy in his first road test against the stout Iowa defense, and FOX analyst Urban Meyer liked what he saw.

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“He looks so comfortable back there,” Meyer said on the FOX halftime show. “… J.J. McCarthy, you wonder what would happen if they let him play the game a little bit. He looks very comfortable. I wonder if in the second half, they’re going to let him go a little bit, let him play. Because he threw a dime on the outside release fade to the wideout.”

Fellow analyst Brady Quinn also spoke highly of McCarthy, saying Michigan isn’t wanting McCarthy to do do more than he needs to get a victory.

“Not really asking too much of J.J. McCarthy,” Quinn said. “Simple completions with open access to the outside. Credit to the Iowa defense. They’re not giving them much down the field with the exception of one play in the first half. … So far, managing the game well and that’s all he really needs to do versus this Iowa defense. You don’t want to give them many freebies. You don’t want to give an offense, Coach, that’s struggling in Iowa, a short field either. So far, J.J. McCarthy getting the job done.”

It’s McCarthy’s second full game as a starter after last week’s game against Maryland, and he had to fight through some adversity to get the victory. The Terrapins kept things close, but McCarthy completed 18 of 26 passes for 220 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions to help Michigan come away with the win at The Big House.