McCarthy Named Among 10 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Finalists
10/31/2023 11:17:00 AM | Football
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy of he University of Michigan football team was recognized on Tuesday (Oct. 31) as one of 10 finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, the award's selection committee announced Tuesday (Oct. 31).
McCarthy is the fourth Michigan quarterback to be named a finalist for the award, joining Elvis Grbac (1992), John Navarre (2003) and Shea Patterson (2018).
On the field, McCarthy has helped direct U-M to a No. 2 ranking and an 8-0 mark through the first two months of the season. He leads the No. 6 scoring offense (40.6 points per game), a unit averaging 0.651 points per play (No. 2 nationally). U-M has scored 30-plus points in 11 straight contests, a program record. Despite only throwing four passes in the fourth quarter of games all season, McCarthy has thrown 18 touchdown passes (No. 2, Big Ten) and averages 245.9 yards of total offense per game.
McCarthy ranks second nationally in completion percentage (78.1) while also ranking second in yards per attempt (10.64). Michigan is 20-1 in his 21 career starts, averaging points on 61.2 percent of McCarthy-led drives in that span with 90 touchdowns in 196 possessions.
Created in 1987, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is presented annually to the top upperclassman quarterback in college football by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation. The award values character, citizenship, integrity and those who honor the game, in addition to on-field play.
The 2023 award winner will be presented the Golden Arm trophy at the Golden Arm banquet and celebration in Baltimore, Md., on Thursday, Dec. 7.
