ESPN analyst Desmond Howard was talking with his son before Michigan's matchup against Ohio State on Nov. 26, and the topic of conversation was sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Howard saw the deep passing game throughout the season, and the timing between McCarthy and the receivers was off by a finger-tip throughout the season. What needed to change?
"He just wasn't putting enough air under the ball," Howard told Sporting News. "I told my son, 'J.J. needs to let the ball see Columbus and enjoy Columbus;' meaning he needs to put some air under the ball so the ball can fall into the hands of the receivers. It clicked against Ohio State, and we got to see a different element of the offense."
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McCarthy's emergence in the deep passing game came at the most opportune time and must continue in the College Football Playoff. No. 2 Michigan (13-0) faces No. 3 TCU (12-1) in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Saturday – the Wolverines' second straight playoff trip. McCarthy was a change-up at quarterback behind Cade McNamara last season.
This year, he's the focus of Michigan's offense – especially after star running back Blake Corum suffered a knee injury against Illinois that led to season-ending surgery ahead of the Big Ten championship game against Purdue. Corum was limited against the Buckeyes, and that's when Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore let McCarthy loose in the vertical passing game.
McCarthy finished 12 of 24 for 263 yards, and according to Pro Football Focus, McCarthy was 3 of 7 on passes of 20 yards or more for 153 yards and three TDs. It was a big-play display that gave the Wolverines their first victory at Ohio Stadium since 2000.
"To win a game like that on the road against at that point the No. 2 team in the country – no one gave you a prayer of winning that game, and go out there and play the way he played that gives you a tremendous amount of confidence," Howard said. "I just don't think J.J. ever lacked confidence."
The timing on passes of more than 20 yards or more had to evolve – and it must be part of the Wolverines' offense in the CFP. Before the Ohio State game, McCarthy was 11 of 37 (29.7%) on those passes for 363 yards, two TDs and one interception in 11 games. In the games against Ohio State and Purdue, McCarthy was 6 of 13 (46.1%) for 235 yards and four TDs.
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"I just thought when he threw the deep ball they were too flat," Howard said. "He needed to put some arc on it so guys could run up under it. He was able to make that adjustment and now people are like, 'Wow, this guy can do X, Y and Z. Michigan can go vertical.' They could always go vertical."
That element to the offense will be critical in the College Football Playoff, and not just as a complement to a rushing attack that ranked fifth in the FBS with 243 yards per game. The other three teams in the CFP have Heisman finalists at quarterback.
TCU quarterback Max Duggan was one of the best deep-ball QBs in college football this season. He hit 34 of 68 passes (50%) for a FBS-best 18 TDs and three interceptions on passes of 20 yards or more. Ohio State's C.J. Stroud or Georgia's Stetson Bennett could be the possible quarterback in the CFP championship.
| QB | CLASS | 247SPORTS RATING |
| J.J. McCarthy | 2021 | 0.9866 |
| C.J. Stroud | 2020 | 0.9780 |
| Max Duggan | 2019 | 0.9127 |
| Stetson Bennett | 2019 | 0.8304 |
McCarthy, however, had the highest recruiting ranking of any of those quarterbacks according to 247Sports.com – and he's the youngest of the bunch. He also played extensively in last year's 34-11 loss to Georgia in the CFP semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl. McCarthy completed 7 of 17 passes for 131 yards and a TD, and that included three completions of 20 yards or more.
It took a while for that to click this season once McCarthy took over as a starter, but Howard saw the results coming. The best is yet to come for the Wolverines.
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"He understood that it was going to click at the right time," Howard said. "Before he became the starter a year ago, I remember talking to some coaches and they were saying, 'This guy is young, and he's not ready, but he's a hell of a leader. Once he's ready, the sky's the limit because of the talent he has. We're seeing that unfold right in front of our eyes."
Howard is partnered with Modelo – the official beer of the College Football Playoff – which is offering one fan a chance to win $100,000 and tickets to the CFP championship game. Howard will present the prize to the winning fan for the second straight year. "I'm excited about it. I can't wait. We recognize fans and what they mean to college football. We understand that fans are what make it so special."
