Michigan Wolverines College Football Pregame Quote, 12/29/2022

When you have to decide it’s time to run or it’s time to pass on a play, is it totally instinct? Like, you just sense it or how much of it is like your mind is working on what you studied?

J.J. McCARTHY: A lot goes into it with just scrambling to throw. You’ve got to know which routes are heading your direction, whether you go right or left. And scrambling the run is always instinctual. It’s more of a feel.

And kind of balancing the two has been difficult along the way, but it’s been getting better with every rep, every game. So it’s definitely more of an instinctual thing overall.

Talk about meditating. I know you talked about it before, but what it does for you?

J.J. McCARTHY: Yes, it’s just awesome to hear that, that other guys are kind of inspired by that and want to better themselves in more ways. And it’s just that. We train so hard on our bodies, on our legs, and our upper-body strength. There’s not a lot of the training of the mind, and meditation is a great way to do it. And it’s very overlooked because everyone is moving, moving, moving, going, going, and to be able to stop and rest and be with yourself. It does light years. I’m so happy to hear that.

From the beginning of the season now to September, when you were looking for the starting job, and Michigan going for the national title since 1997, what have the last four months meant to you?

J.J. McCARTHY: It’s been a roller coaster, for sure, I will say that. It’s been a happy roller coaster. So many lessons that have been learned and so many experiences that have been experienced, and I’m grateful to be in this position. What an opportunity in front of us, and I can’t wait to capitalize on it.

How surreal has this whole season been for you?

J.J. McCARTHY: I have been fortunate enough to be on a lot of winning teams my entire life. It just feels like another season for me. But just being able to do it for this great university and to be able to do it with this great group of guys, it’s really special.

Your relationship with Coach [Jim] Harbaugh, what has that been like as you have stepped into this role?

J.J. McCARTHY: It’s been amazing. Everything from one of my greatest friends to great mentor. He’s a father figure and one of the best coaches I have ever been around, if not the best coach. Everything he adds, to whether it be moral, my growth, I’m super fortunate to have him.

So what did he do special that –

J.J. McCARTHY: I was about to say that. The special thing about it is he came back the next year, after we finished my freshman year and won the Big Ten championship, we had some time off and he came back and did a home visit with me. So it just speaks to the kind of guy he is.

I know you said it before, but just talking about the story with the smiley face.

J.J. McCARTHY: The smiley face is just like ‚Äì how I wear it now, it’s a reminder you will be playing at your most optimal level and having a good time, anything in life, whether you are going to work, whether you are playing Frisbee, everything will be more enjoyable.

I just feel like it’s such a small, subtle way to promote that to other people and be able to spread positive change. And be able to kind of be some sort of beacon of light in this dark world that we live in. And it’s something that’s very simple but very profound. I love it.