College Football Playoff - How J.J. McCarthy meshed with Jim Harbaugh to become Michigan's best QB - ESPN

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy took the snap from the 18-yard line and quickly felt pressure from his left side.

He sidestepped an attempted tackle and took off to avoid another oncoming defender. He ran to his left, looking to throw the ball downfield. He glanced up as he was fleeing, saw Donovan Edwards and flipped the ball across his body to the running back for a 16-yard completion down to the 2-yard line.

It was a seemingly inconsequential play in a Week 7 game against Indiana, a game the Wolverines would win 52-7. But to Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, it brought about a strong sense of déjà vu.

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He'd done it himself in 1985, during his junior year at Michigan in a game against Iowa. Harbaugh took the snap at the 6-yard line, felt pressure, rolled to his left and shoveled it across his body to running back Gerald White for a touchdown.

The two throws were mirror images — broken plays where the quarterbacks made instinctive (and dangerous) throws to great success. After the game, Harbaugh celebrated his quarterback's performance, saying McCarthy was on a path to be the best quarterback in Michigan history.

After Michigan's 41-13 win over Purdue on Nov. 4, when McCarthy threw for 335 yards, Harbaugh took it a step further.

«Just enjoy the ability of J.J. McCarthy and the talent that he is as a passer, as a runner, as a leader,» Harbaugh said. «It doesn't come along every day, every year, every decade, ever. I think he's truly the best college Michigan quarterback that