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Michigan Football: Spring Ball Analysis and Changes

By Jordan Bruetsch

Dec 31, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines against the TCU Horned Frogs in the second half of the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines against the TCU Horned Frogs in the second half of the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the Wolverines in the midst of spring ball, there have been many opportunities to analyze this Michigan football team heading into the 2023 season

Michigan football is coming off of a what-if season. While it was an incredibly successful season – the first time they ever went 13-0 — everyone was left wondering if they could’ve had a shot at a National title.

This team seems to have taken that personally. All indications out of camp are that the Wolverines are looking better than ever and that this team may be better than last year. The Wolverines are hungry for a national title, and that is being reflected by their spring camp.

With that in mind, let’s highlight some of the major headlines coming out of camp.

The QB Situation

Dec 31, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh watches as J.J. McCarthy (9) warms up before they take on the TCU Horned Frogs in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Rondone-Arizona RepublicNcaa Fiesta Bowl Game
Dec 31, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh watches as J.J. McCarthy (9) warms up before they take on the TCU Horned Frogs in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Rondone-Arizona RepublicNcaa Fiesta Bowl Game /

I’m sure many of you are shocked that this is the first thing I’m going to touch on, but it’s a very important thing. Something many Michigan fans, myself included, have been complaining about is how little JJ’s legs were used. Against Ohio State, they weren’t used until the second half. Against TCU, they weren’t used until Michigan football was down multiple possessions.

We’ve all witnessed how electric McCarthy is when he runs, and it’s a weapon that the staff needs to utilize. While I understand not having him run against inferior opponents, it’s necessary for the big games. Those legs can be a huge contributor, and they need to be treated like one.

The chief concerns from the staff have been keeping JJ healthy and the depth at the quarterback position. We’re hearing very positive news on both of those ends. McCarthy was listed at 196 lbs last season, and he is reportedly over 200 lbs now, with that added weight being good weight.

That’s critical for taking hits. It’s just common sense that a smaller guy is more likely to get injured than a bigger guy. While this doesn’t mean the staff is going to or should run JJ 10 times a game, it may make them feel more comfortable when it comes to the big games.

Shifting to the backup QB situation, Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle has been quietly turning some heads, and some think that he could pass Davis Warren on the depth chart. As someone who thinks that Warren could be a quality starter at most Big Ten schools, that’s a great sign.

While we hope that neither of these quarterbacks has to play any meaningful minutes, having depth at the quarterback position is extremely important. Last year, the depth was essentially nonexistent. This year, it seems like a very talented group. That’s a great thing to have.

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