Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy on Davey O’Brien Award watch list

By Aaron McMann | While this might not come as a surprise to most, J. J. McCarthy has been formally recognized as one of college football’s best returning quarterbacks.

The Michigan quarterback was included on a 35-player watch list for the national Davey O’Brien Award, unveiled Tuesday, compiled by an independent committee “on career player performance and expectations heading into the 2023 season. ” McCarthy, who is set to enter his second season as the Wolverines’ starter, is coming off a strong sophomore year that saw him earn all-Big Ten honors. He completed nearly 65 percent of this throws for 2,719 yards and 22 touchdowns, with just five interceptions, and rushed for 306 yards and five more touchdowns.

Michigan named McCarthy its offensive player of the year, on a team that compiled an impressive 13-1 season, victories over rivals Michigan State and Ohio State, a Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff appearance. More: How J. J.

McCarthy won the hearts and minds of U-M football This fall, expectations are just as high. The Wolverines were picked by the media to win the Big Ten for a third straight year and were ranked No. 2 in the preseason coaches’ poll.

Meanwhile, McCarthy’s name has popped up on several preseason All-American and all-Big Ten lists. In fact, oddsmakers believe McCarthy (+1800 at DraftKings) is Michigan’s best chance to win the Heisman Trophy this fall. “I don’t get too caught up in the rankings and stuff like that, because most of them go off starts, most of them go off little stuff that’s out of your control,” McCarthy told reporters on Monday.

“The only thing that I focus on is being the best quarterback that I can be for this football team, because that’s all that matters. That’s what’s going to get the wins. “I don’t care about being top-5 or top-3, or top-1.

Because that’s not winning football games. I want to win football games, and when all that stuff pans out it pans out. ” This is the second preseason watch list McCarthy has appeared on so far, joining Michigan running back Blake Corum on the Maxwell Award watch list for most outstanding player in college football.

Michigan has never had a player win the Davey O’Brien Award since it launched in 1981. .