J.J. McCarthy makes Elite 11 Finals
It’s Freep, but it’s a slow week for Michigan football news so whatever.
“He is the ninth Wolverine to participate in the Elite 11 Finals since the event was founded in 1999. ...
Others from U-M include Matt Gutierrez (2001), Clayton Richard (2002), Ryan Mallett (2006), Devin Gardner (2009), Brandon Peters (2015), Shea Patterson (2015), Dylan McCaffrey (2016) and Cade McNamara (2018).”
Saw this on 247 I think, and they had a little write up about who to watch and what to expect; it was just ok, a lot of fluff. I hope McCarthy destroys everyone
HAIL
Since all the previous Michigan QB’s that went on to the Elite 11 Finals proceeded to have historic careers for the Maize and Blue, this bodes well with the future of our QB play.
Nevermind
Looking at that list, maybe we don't want him to compete. We haven't had a ton of success with any of those guys. Yikes! This is like the 5 star rb curse.
This is really the tale of the tape where we've fallen so far behind OSU, IMO.
It used to be that they got some highly rated QBs who underperformed in the clutch. We had Harbaugh, Taylor, Elvis, Collins, Dreisbach, Griese, Brady and Henson. (I'll even lob Navarre in there, just to be kind, out of deference to his 5th year.) Those guys were legit college QBs. And in their era, we played very, very well against OSU.
QB is the most important position in sports, and we used to have a decided advantage. Now the tables are turned (very definitively). Here's hoping DMac turns it back!
No love for Devin Gardner? He was a five star recruit and a multi year starter with at least one promising season before he was broken by Brady Hoke's turnstile offensive line. I'd say he came in with expectations that were just as high as anyone you listed. He also played well against OSU.
I think everyone likes Devin, but this is about a QB that will get you over the hump and beat osu or win the conference in spite of other deficiencies on the team and staff.
On a broken f'n ankle Devin Gardner tied t(tm)OSU at 41. A 7-5 team that was supposed to get destroyed and he carried them for much of the second half. That was a team full of deficiencies and who knows what happens in overtime.
I was there. That was the stuff of legend. Put him on the list.
Broken foot, but yes, probably the best performance by a UM QB that will largely be forgotten.
Only if you show your ticket stub.
I think the OP forgot about Shane Morris too. Not a great list, Bob.
Article doesn’t really go into it, but have they done any camps up until this point yet? Or are they basing these invites on film/rankings? I don’t doubt they’ll have the camps moving forward, but it isn’t clear how they determined the field amid CoVid.
The Elite 11 regional tour was canceled in early March, but a pair of regional events were held in Atlanta and Los Angeles prior to the shutdown. Those two regional events produced a total of three Elite 11 Finals invites. It doesn't say how the picked the remaining participants.
Good for JJ. Let's hope and pray that he stays healthy and has a great senior year at IMG.
Hoping the IMG S&C program can really help him out
They held this at Redondo Union HS several recent years. I along with a few other Michigan alums headed over to watch most of those years. Was a nice little treat to have in our backyard.
That giant red R in the back of the end zone always reminds me of Rutgers.
Watched JJ at Illinois quarterfinal game this year at Rolling Meadows. I’m not a scout; but this fucking guy was on a different level from any high school football player I’ve ever seen in 38 years on this earth. He’s incredible (and I wanted Meadows to win)
Good news.