Jim Harbaugh names J.J. McCarthy Michigan starter after 'near flawless' performance
The entire Michigan offense was on display Saturday night behind J.J. McCarthy, and Hawai’i was the unfortunate recipient. Sophomore quarterback McCarthy got the start and completed 11 of 12 passes for 229 yards and 3 touchdowns in less than a half, earning the U-M starting job for next week’s game with UConn and beyond.
RELATED: Game recap — Michigan football tramples Hawai’i behind J.J. McCarthy’s first-career start
“J.J., near flawless performance — 11-for-12, and one was dropped,” head coach Jim Harbaugh said. “That’s tough to do [even in] a week in practice.
“I thought he had a great game. He’s playing really well. We’ll start J.J. next week.”
Harbaugh was asked if that meant McCarthy would be the starter going forward.
“Yeah. By merit,” the Michigan coach said. “He’s earned that. That’s by performance — by merit.”
Harbaugh said McCarthy made a move at the end of camp, at which point he deemed the competition “neck and neck.” He said the last scrimmage of camp was when the sophomore really made a move, and that he’d taken his game to another level for the last two and a half weeks.
The Michigan coach said he expects Cade McNamara, who struggled in a backup role with some shoddy (at times) protection (4-for-6, 26 yards, 1 interception), to continue to perform at a high level while fighting for time.
“It’s not a matter of somebody losing it,” Harbaugh said, noting McNamara has ‘gravel in his gut.’ “As I’ve been saying, we’ve got two really good quarterbacks, two starting quarterbacks — two championship quarterbacks …
“Playing the position, it’s hard to do that in practice, hit guys in stride 45, 50 yards downfield. He was definitely in the zone. It was great to see. I wouldn’t hold any quarterback to that standard, 100 percent completion percentage every night, let alone somebody making their first start. But he really played well. They both have. They both can stretch the field.
“I’ve said it. They both have got the arm talent to make all those throws.”
But one — McCarthy — put them on display the last few weeks in separating himself. He’ll get the opportunity to start as a result.
