Michigan junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy isn't a fan of complacency. He firmly believes if you're not growing, you're not improving.

And improvement is something he wants to show each day at the quarterback position.

Entering a crucial season for himself and the program, McCarthy is entering camp of his first full year as a starter wanting to become more of a vocal leader of the team. He wants to bring the team together and make the team accountable just as much as he wants to make himself accountable for his own play.

"Probably the biggest thing this offseason was just being more of a vocal leader and really embracing holding people accountable and holding myself accountable," McCarthy told reporters on Monday. "Just making sure that it's the ‘win the day’ mentality and not just focusing on week one or week two, or the National Championship or anything like that. It's day by day. So just keeping that reinforcement on the guys about winning the day, attacking daily, consistent actions that put us in a positive direction.

"Obviously just always growing with my craft and always growing with the chemistry with the guys, with the old linemen, getting more involved with the defense trying to understand what they're trying to do to us versus certain sets. So it's been a lot, but it's been a lot of fun."

With an immense amount of pressure on his shoulders, McCarthy wouldn't trade the situation he is in right now for anything.

While he sees growth every day, he is having fun while doing it. In fact, the most fun he's ever had playing the game of football.

"I'm always a person that strives for the path of most resistance, but it's been the most fun in my entire life playing football right now," McCarthy said. "Everything's just clear. Everyone knows what's going on and it's just things are effortless right now with the defense and with the chemistry of the guys. Like I said, defense, I've been reading that defense for two, three years now, so it's so much fun out there going against those guys. It’s just been so much fun."

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