“I can win football matches for this team”

Ann Arbor, Michigan – JJ McCarthy He’ll make his Michigan debut on Saturday when the Wolverines face Hawaii under the spotlight at the Big House.

Here’s everything he said at a press conference on Tuesday as he previewed the match:

On how he learned about Jim Harbaugh’s QB strategy:

In the beginning, he kind of told us both that the best player would play and it was an open competition, just go out there and be with us and whatever happens. After that fact, he just gave us a full summary of not having a clear, firm decision on who the man will be, so he’ll give us chances in the first two games.

On how he approached this week as a beginner:

I mean, nothing is really different. When I walked in the door here, I was always ready to be the guy — pick up one, the first game, whatever it was — and now I just feel this reassurance that I’ll be there. So it kind of removes all the anxiety and indecisiveness when you go into it and builds more confidence, honestly.

On his initial confidence level:

to the fullest extent. I mean, being around guys like us here and being as consistent coaches as we have here, they just fill you in with super confidence. I’ve always been a guy with a lot of confidence in myself, and just being around guys like this and being around coaches like that just makes it even more.

On the time he felt he was a challenge for the starting role:

I don’t necessarily feel like there was a certain time that I made the payment. Felt like he was getting better every day. Getting 1-2-5% better every day. I was so locked up in myself and getting better and coming back from this injury and all that.

There was no like, direct, “Okay, I’m in front of him” or anything like that. It was just, I feel like I’m growing. I feel like I excel with my buddies. And it was constantly so.

If he feels he has done enough to be the initiator:

This decision is something out of my control. And I never went through the process of thinking, ‘Oh, I gotta be the guy. This is my job. I want it.’ This is not for me to decide. For me it is my duty to decide what I do every day and how I improve every day. It has nothing to do with making that decision that I am the man or anything like that.

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