J.J. McCarthy may be the Michigan GOAT at quarterback in terms of his play in college (Tom Brady is the GOAT, but he didn’t lead Michigan football to a national championship as McCarthy has) but his heir apparent is potentially on his way to Ann Arbor in just about a week.
McCarthy was a five-star QB, an enigmatic talent that made the Wolverines’ offensive engine not only run but hum. He wasn’t the only component (Blake Corum was also an integral figure) but when Michigan needed to convert long third downs, it was McCarthy who was able to make those plays.
Though not yet signed (early signing day is on Dec. 4), Bryce Underwood has a lot of potential to fill McCarthy’s shoes. The No. 1 overall prospect in 2025 isn’t just an enigmatic talent, he’s a generational one, likened often to that of Trevor Lawrence who went to Clemson out of Cartersville (Ga.). Though Underwood will likely be an instant upgrade at the position, it’s still a process going from high school to college.
Appearing on The L.A.B. podcast with Jake Butt, McCarthy shared that he has spoken to Underwood and shared some advice with the incoming five-star.
“I sent Bryce a little text the other day on my advice to him. But I will just add a little something else if he sees this: my advice to him would be to chase the suck. Chase the stuff that you absolutely do not want to do,” McCarthy said. “One of the greatest things I learned from the great and legendary Greg Harden was to do everything 100 percent, 100 percent of the time. Whether it’s that class you do not want to go to that’s on the other side of campus — you’re going to do it. Whether it’s that conversation that you don’t want to spend the next 30 seconds in, you sit there and you do that, because that kid, that girl, that guy, whoever it is, might need it.
“Just understanding that Michigan, where you are, inevitably, the people you surround yourself with — the cold, the strict academics, the strict football schedule — all of that is going to make you better. But it’s how are you going to take advantage of it in the time that you’re there?
“Of course, everyone has a little bit of regret. I still have a little bit of regret doing those things, because I know on the other side of it when you have no class and you don’t have to write a paper and you can just focus on ball — your life changes. But you will never get those three, four years back — or five, seven, however many years you get now. But you’ll never get that back, where you had to do that.”
Especially in the changing landscape of college football, there are no guarantees that Underwood will replicate McCarthy’s success. But if he follows this advice, that’s at least a good leadership position for the Belleville (Mich.) signal caller that could help him greatly.