Michigan Football’s J.J. McCarthy really is one of a kind

We’ve talked constantly about the ongoing QB battle between Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy for Michigan football and who we think should start and this and that, and it’s caused a divide in the fanbase (when the answer should be extremely obvious, but what do I know?), but some recent comments made by McCarthy really got my attention and should make Michigan fans extremely relieved.

What J.J. told WXYZ’s Brad Galli

While Michigan was busy knocking their recruiting out of the park with several prospects on campus for “Victors Weekend”, JJ was up in Traverse City for “Wolverines Weekend.”

For a while now, McCarthy has been recovering from a shoulder injury that he sustained during spring practices, but when asked where he is on his timeline to return to 100 percent, this was his answer.

"“Very close, very, very close,” McCarthy said. “It’s a matter of a couple weeks now before I’ll be 100%, so I’m super thrilled.”"

This is obviously great news for Michigan football fans, as this will obviously allow him to compete in fall camp at 100 percent.

He has been taking mental reps for a while, so getting back to the actual physical part of throwing the football will be best for his development.

Whether he wins the starting job or not is still up for debate, but this next quote really got my attention and made me have even more respect for JJ.

If McCarthy fails to secure the starting position, he can go anywhere he wants, and possibly make even more in NIL earnings. JJ wants you to know though that that way of thinking is not his style.

"“Because it’s the journey. So many kids my age and kids these days always focus on the destination of starting and being the guy,” McCarthy said. “I’m just falling in love with the process and falling in love with getting better every single day. At the end of the day, it’s up to me. If I want to start, I have to prove that I’m able to start for them to have comfortability and trust that I can be that guy. Just finding more and more ways I’m able to get better and more and more ways I can learn about myself. I’m loyal to the University of Michigan. I’m not just gonna get up and leave if things don’t go my way.”"

J.J. McCarthy is the perfect QB for Michigan Football, Harbaugh

That sounds exactly like a Jim Harbaugh kind of guy to me. This proves once and for all that JJ doesn’t have an ego, and just wants what’s best for the team. If that happens to be sitting back and letting Cade take starting snaps, so be it.

JJ has stated that he is in this thing for the long run, and won’t transfer out. He’s loyal to the University of Michigan, which is definitely not something you hear very often from elite talents that don’t start right away.

It might’ve been obvious to you that JJ was in it for the long run, but you never know for sure (it is the Wild Wild West of college football right now after all) until a guy actually says out loud what he is thinking, and we finally got that reassurance from him, so there will be no transferring out if he doesn’t win the starting job.

At least half the time, a guy would have transferred out by now. We’ve seen Spencer Rattler, Quinn Ewers, Jayden Daniels, and others transfer over the last few months (and they were all high-level five-star QBs coming out of high school just like JJ), so to not have to worry about Michigan’s five-star QB entering the portal is honestly surreal.

Like I said in the title, J.J. is one-of-a-kind. Not too many completely unselfish players come around often, especially at QB.