J.J. McCarthy updates injury status, fights back against narrative about Michigan: 'Nobody sees the work we put in'

The Michigan Wolverines are heading into the biggest week of the season to this point with the Ohio State Buckeyes coming to town. For junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy, it’s a week that has been woven into the fabric of his football life from the start.

“I feel like growing up in the Midwest and being around Big Ten football, it’s always something that Thanksgiving weekend you always tune into. It was always the game of the week,” McCarthy told the media on Monday afternoon. “So just being a part of that as a youngin and then growing up being a fan of both teams and just always wanted to be a part of this. That’s probably the biggest thing I’d say.”

How was McCarthy a fan of both teams? Our Clayton Sayfie grilled him a little further on that.

“I grew up first being an Ohio State fan, I won’t lie,” McCarthy said with a smile. “But God had different plans for me. He showed me the way and I’m very blessed and appreciative of being here. That’s for damn sure.”

The biggest question of the week revolves around the Michigan quarterback’s health. He appeared a bit hobbled in the Maryland game and was recorded after the game walking with a noticeable limp.

If there was any pain lingering on Monday, McCarthy did his part to hide it. He walked into his press conference without a limp or noticeable support apparatus on his leg. Keeping him healthy this week is critical.

“Doing really good,” McCarthy said. “Last week was a little bit rough, but I’m doing fantastic right now. Treatment’s been great and we’ll be ready to go.”

McCarthy has the distinction in playing in two Michigan victories over the Buckeyes and gets a chance to complete the trilogy this weekend. The 2021 victory in Ann Arbor is one that is seared into his brain.

“It was cinema. It really was,” McCarthy said. “It was just a movie with the snow falling and with the crowd. Felt like the crowd was really one heartbeat that was meshed with the team and everything about it was just magical and I don’t expect anything less this weekend.”

McCarthy weighs in on Harbaugh absence, Michigan perception

McCarthy has had to operate the last two weeks without head coach Jim Harbaugh, who can be a calming presence on the sideline during games and a motivating presence before them. Operationally, his absence has taken some getting used to.

Nobody wants to be proud of the experience of having to play games without him, but McCarthy thinks it can be something Michigan leans on for comfort this weekend given Harbaugh has missed five of 11 games this year.

“It was different at first,” Harbaugh said. “Now with that experience and knowing how it works and how the coaches react to certain things and how they go about coaching the game. It’s gonna be tremendous for us this Saturday because it’s one of the bigger games.”

Harbaugh’s suspension and the investigation into Michigan’s alleged illegal scouting operation has dominated national headlines over the last month or so. While there are still plenty of questions to sort out, no narrative has been more frustrating to players than questioning their accomplishments.

McCarthy takes issue with it and hopes to prove that players are responsible for winning games.

“Nobody sees the work we put in,” McCarthy said. “I really do believe we work the hardest in the entire country. Each and every player, each and every coach. And it’s so easy to look at headlines, so easy to follow a narrative. But when you’re in here and you see what’s going on, you wouldn’t think for a second that it’s anything other than hard work, dedication, and execution.

Knowing how much blood, sweat and tears we put into this season and all the hours that we put in. Just being deluded by a scandal and all that.. it’s unfortunate, but it’s out of our control. And we only focus on what we can control and try to get better every single day and not worry about that stuff.

“But it’s just unfortunate that people don’t think we put in the work to get to where we are.”

The work continues on Saturday with the Michigan vs. Ohio State showdown set for 12 p.m. ET before a nationally televised crowd on FOX.