WEDNESDAY THOUGHTS: News & Views — J.J. McCarthy's Future, Josh Ross & More
Is Michigan football freshman quarterback J.J. McCarthy going to continue to see significant playing time? That and more in this week's News and Views heading into a huge game at Nebraska.
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NEWS: Michigan faces a much-improved Nebraska team on the road Saturday night in a second straight Big Ten road contest.
HARBAUGH: “I think Nebraska is really impressive. They’re playing their best football. It was a dominating performance [in their 56-7 win over Northwestern]. You look back at the games that they played, they’ve all been close, against outstanding opponents ... Oklahoma [for one].
"It's going to be a big challenge; no different, really, from what we were facing last week. We’re in the same situation, getting ready to play a really hungry team, a team that’s hitting their stride. I was impressed with their game, for sure."
VIEWS: Adrian Martinez is something Michigan hasn't seen yet this year — an outstanding runner at the quarterback position.
Michigan fans want to say, 'yeah, but they've faced Noah Vedral of Rutgers ...'
Well, this is a different animal. Vedral can move a bit and they used him in the offense (with success) in the second half against the Wolverines, but he's no Adrian Martinez.
"Yeah, he’s a heckuva quarterback," Harbaugh said. "I hate to compare, but it’s [Vedral] and then some, this quarterback and this offense."
And for the 'he's terrible' and 'prone to make mistakes' crowd — yeah, he's had his issues. But the numbers this year — 66.7 completion percentage, 1,463 yards, six touchdowns and two picks — tell a different story. That's not even taking his running ability (a team-high 412 yards and nine touchdowns rushing) into account, and he's an ankle breaker.
The Michigan defense will get some pressure against this offensive line, but between the option, staying in their lanes so Martinez doesn't escape for big runs, etc., this is the unit's biggest challenge to date.
NEWS: Michigan ranks tied for 15th nationally in turnover margin at plus-one per game, having forced six and suffered only one giveaway.
HARBAUGH: “It’s been a big emphasis as a team. On special teams, it’s a big emphasis. It’s a big emphasis in our offense. Players, there’s a real focus there. When they get the ball, they understand the responsibility of taking care of it."
VIEWS: Even more impressive, the only turnover came late in the Wisconsin game by the fourth-string quarterback, Alan Bowman. There have been none other than garbage time, and quarterback Cade McNamara hasn't taken a sack yet this year, either (despite having been pressured).
This is one of the things too many don't take into account when assessing McNamara. The redshirt freshman has shown great pocket awareness, and when he throws behind or away from a receiver, it's often calculated. He'd rather throw one into the ground with someone bearing down on him than throw into traffic.
No, he hasn't been perfect, but he has been efficient and kept the Wolverines ahead of the sticks. That's one of the big reasons he's the starter right now, and will remain so while frosh J.J. McCarthy continues to cut his teeth.
It's also a sign of a much better-coached football team. They aren't picking up a lot of penalties, they're disciplined on defense ... it's just been good overall.
"We've been better in a lot of those areas, knowing the situation ... including penalties," Harbaugh said. "They’ve really listened to the coaching; they’ve really embraced it. They do their best to execute it, and they do that in practice; they do that in meetings and they do that in games.
"That’s what I’d really attribute it to. They really listen. They embrace it."
NEWS: Josh Ross is having an All-Big Ten season and dominating at middle linebacker.
HARBAUGH: “He does look a step quicker. His coverage is better; he’s running better. You can credit a lot of that to, he is faster. He looks faster [anyway]. I don’t have any time to say that, but the eye time sure says it.
"Just the instincts and the way he’s able to diagnose a play and be there a step, a step and a half to two steps [quicker] in the right direction time after time — I think it’s a combination of his instincts, the coaching he’s getting, just how important it is, how much he’s studying. All those factors. His anticipation of diagnosing a play is high level."
VIEWS: U-M's linebacker play is at a different level right now across the board, and that was one of the big concerns for this defense heading into the season. It's borderline elite if you factor in Aidan Hutchinson as an outside 'backer.
But veteran Michael Barrett was one of the guys we thought would have to step up moving from viper, and he's barely played. Youngsters Nikhai Hill-Green and Junior Colson are still learning, and have had their ups and downs, but they've exceeded all expectations, too, and provide great hope and high expectations for the future.
Ross, though, has been exactly what this defense needed. He gives the Wolverines three borderline elites, one at every level (Hutchinson when he's an end, plus sophomore Dax Hill at safety), and his transformation started this summer. We knew he had a shot when we saw him at Big Ten Media Day, how he reshaped his body, and he hasn't disappointed.
He's been one of the biggest reasons for this defense's turnaround from last year.
NEWS: McCarthy, the true freshman, saw significant time and meaningful snaps at Wisconsin. Harbaugh said keeping his QB happy was not one of the major reasons for that.
HARBAUGH: "Him getting game experience, him playing, him contributing — just like [classmate running back Donovan Edwards] — it's because they’re good. They can help the team; they can contribute to the team right now, playing. [Receiver] Andrel Anthony, we're trying to get him as many times into the game as possible.
"I could say that with some other players ... they’re only trying to do two things — trying to become the best football player they can be and they’re trying to contribute to the team in any form or fashion that they can."
VIEWS: And coaches are only trying to do two things, too, he said — make each player as good as they can possibly be, and find each way a player can contribute to the team in whatever form or fashion possible.
It's no surprise that this trio went out to the practice field to get more time when they got back relatively early from Wisconsin. They all played against the Badgers, but they want more and they want to contribute.
Expect McCarthy to play more and more this season. That's not a slight on McNamara, who has been extremely solid — it's just that McCarthy has an NFL arm and is every bit a leader at the position, much like McNamara.
If history has proven anything, it's that you often need more than one guy in that room to help you win. It appears the Wolverines have their pair.
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