Roman Wilson talks J.J. McCarthy and ‘big-time plays’

Things were a lot different for Michigan’s offense in March of 2022.

Cade McNamara was the starting quarterback, and J.J. McCarthy, who was poised to push McNamara for the starting job, had a shoulder injury and didn’t throw during spring practices.

It’s now March of 2023 and McCarthy is the starter, he’s fully healthy, and has a season of starting experience under his belt.

Michigan receiver Roman Wilson was asked on Thursday about McCarthy and what’s changed between last spring and this spring.

“I feel like we definitely communicate more,” Wilson told the media. “Just watching him this spring he looks a lot more comfortable, a lot more confident. He’s making a lot of big time plays, big time throws. He looks a lot better right now than he did last spring.”

McCarthy is coming off a season where he was 208-of-332 (64.6%) for 2,719 yards, with 22 passing touchdowns, five interceptions, along with 306 yards rushing and five rushing scores. Head coach Jim Harbaugh recently talked about how McCarthy goes about his business and the manner he seeks to improve.

“Tremendous physical ability and athletic ability in every single way that you would want your quarterback. The rare thing is that he would sacrifice anything for any player on this team. Personally, he’s just so willing to do whatever is best for the team. I would follow him anywhere happily. I suggest that all players on our team do the same thing. He’s just really, really good at it. As far as anything you tell him, any coaching point that you give, he just absorbs it and will make the correction immediately. It’s tremendous.”

More time on task matters and with more time together as teammates on-field chemistry can progress between McCarthy and his options in this passing game. However, for Wilson, he’s always had a good rapport with McCarthy.

“I’ve always been pretty comfortable with him as a passer, as a person, as a leader and everything,” Wilson said. “Over time you build a better chemistry and understanding for a person. Kind of both what him and what other people are thinking at the same time.”

The McCarthy to Wilson connection will be an important one next season, and it sounds like they’re on the same page.