J.J. McCarthy Didn’t Just Win Games-He Changed the Culture at Michigan
HOUSTON - J.J. McCarthy’s stat line won’t be what defines him in Michigan lore. He didn’t light up the box score during the Wolverines’ national championship run, but make no mistake-he was the heart of the most resilient, unified, and ultimately triumphant Michigan team in decades.
Before he ever took a snap in the Big House, McCarthy was already shaping the future of the program. A five-star quarterback who famously got passed over by Ohio State in favor of Kyle McCord, McCarthy didn’t just commit to Michigan-he rallied others to join him.
Donovan Edwards, Rod Moore, Junior Colson, Rayshaun Benny, Tommy Doman-key names in this championship story-were all part of the class he helped hold together. And he did it during one of the darkest stretches in recent Michigan football history.
Back in 2020, the Wolverines were floundering. They had just been steamrolled by Wisconsin 49-11 in a primetime game, dropping to 1-3.
Harbaugh hadn’t beaten Ohio State. The team had just lost to Indiana for the first time in 24 years.
The fan base was restless, the locker room was uncertain, and the future felt anything but secure.
And then a 17-year-old quarterback from Illinois stepped up-not on the field, but online-with a message that spoke volumes about who he was and what he would become.
“Take 3 deep breaths and have faith,” McCarthy tweeted. “Support is the only thing they need right now.
EVERY single one of you has the power to contribute to the GOAL. We are all in this together.”
It sounded like something out of a leadership seminar, not the Twitter feed of a high school senior. But those words weren’t empty. They were a preview of the steady, team-first presence that would carry Michigan through adversity after adversity.
McCarthy arrived in Ann Arbor with hype, but he didn’t demand the spotlight. He sat behind Cade McNamara for a full season-a move that’s almost unheard of for five-star QBs in today’s transfer-heavy college football world. While McNamara bristled at sharing snaps, McCarthy kept his head down, worked, and waited.
And when his time came, he didn’t just take over the job-he elevated the program.
In 2022, McCarthy threw for 2,719 yards and accounted for 27 total touchdowns. Solid numbers, sure, but what really stood out was the 13-0 record, a Big Ten title, and a dominant win in Columbus that finally flipped the script in The Game. McCarthy wasn’t padding stats-he was stacking wins.
He also wasn’t chasing headlines or personal accolades. After a rough outing in the College Football Playoff against TCU-two pick-sixes in a heartbreaking loss-McCarthy didn’t deflect.
He owned it. He stepped up to the podium, took the blame, and promised Michigan would be back.
And then he helped make that promise real.
McCarthy’s leadership was a magnet. Veterans like Blake Corum, Zak Zinter, Mike Sainristil, Michael Barrett, Kris Jenkins, and Jaylen Harrell could’ve gone pro.
They came back. Not just to chase a title, but to finish what they’d started-with McCarthy leading the charge.
That 2023 season was anything but smooth. Michigan found itself at the center of a national controversy with the sign-stealing saga.
Harbaugh was suspended. The noise was deafening.
And yet, the Wolverines didn’t flinch.
When the Big Ten dropped the hammer the night before the showdown at Penn State, suspending Harbaugh, Michigan leaned on its leaders. McCarthy, once a Heisman frontrunner, threw just eight passes that day.
He handed the ball off 36 times. No stat-padding.
No spotlight. Just doing what it took to win.
That game spoke volumes. While others chased trophies, McCarthy chased wins. And he brought everyone with him.
Michigan’s national title run wasn’t built on blue-chip recruiting classes. They didn’t have the raw talent of Alabama or Ohio State.
In fact, they ranked behind Penn State in the team talent composite. But what they had-what made the difference-was a locker room full of selfless, battle-tested leaders.
Guys like Sainristil switching positions. Edwards sacrificing touches.
McCarthy sacrificing the Heisman.
This wasn’t just about talent. It was about culture.
About belief. About a quarterback who never made it about himself.
From the moment McCarthy arrived, his bond with Jim Harbaugh was clear. It wasn’t just coach and quarterback-it was two competitors who saw the game, and the mission, the same way.
Harbaugh found more than a franchise QB. He found a foundational leader.
And now, thanks in large part to McCarthy, Michigan is back on top of the college football world.
Not because of a flashy offense. Not because of recruiting rankings.
But because of a quarterback who cared more about the team than the headlines. One who led through words, through actions, and through every tough moment along the way.
J.J. McCarthy didn’t just win games-he changed the trajectory of Michigan football. And that’s a legacy that won’t fade anytime soon.