At Big Ten media days last week, Jim Harbaugh likened Michigan quarterback
J.J. McCarthy to Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen -- not just in his playmaking ability, but in the way he leads his teammates. On Monday, McCarthy said he wants to be better than both of them.
"It's a tremendous honor to receive that praise from Coach Harbaugh, because I value his opinion so much," McCarthy told reporters the day before Michigan opened preseason camp. "For me, personally, I take it as, 'OK, that's great he thinks of me that way, but I eventually want to be better than those guys.' I want to be the best version of myself, whatever that is."
McCarthy leads a loaded Michigan team coming off a 13-1 season and its second straight Big Ten championship and trip to the College Football Playoff. Named Monday to the Maxwell Award watch list, an honor given annually to the best player in college football, McCarthy completed 65 percent of his passes for 2,719 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions last season, his first as a starter. He also ran for 306 yards and five touchdowns.
Great production, all the way around. But for McCarthy, not great enough. His aim this season is to be more efficient through the air and more dangerous on the ground.
"And to be able to facilitate the football in many different ways than what we just were usually doing," he said. "Being able to use my legs more and just use that as a threat. Just be an unstoppable force."
Like Mahomes, Allen and the game's other superstars under center.
"I just focus on what abilities I have, what weaknesses I have and how I can improve those weaknesses," McCarthy said. "I don't really get too much into comparisons because we're all unique, we're our own individuals. I'd like to think of myself as a player of that caliber one day, but right now I'm trying to focus on me."
And right now, McCarthy loves the way things look heading into his third and likely final year at Michigan.
"I'm feeling absolutely amazing about the season, to be honest with you," he said. "I feel like I'm in such a good rhythm right now, mentally, physically, spiritually. I couldn't ask to be in a better spot."
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