Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy selected his all-time Michigan Wolverines football team during a special live edition of "The Joel Klatt Show" in Ann Arbor.
Portnoy, a notable Michigan fan, was tasked by host Joel Klatt with choosing a quarterback, running back, two wide receivers, and one defensive player.
For quarterback, Portnoy selected J.J. McCarthy (2021-2023). "To me, it’s a no-brainer. It’s not even close," Portnoy said. "If you’re saying you need a QB for the NFL, it’s [Tom] Brady, clearly. But [McCarthy’s] record was 27-1 as a starter. You gotta remember, before he came here, we couldn’t beat Ohio State. He turned the whole program around." Portnoy highlighted McCarthy's role in turning the program around and winning a national championship.
At running back, Portnoy chose Tim Biakabutuka (1993-1995). He cited Biakabutuka's performance against Ohio State, where he had 313 rushing yards against the then-undefeated No. 2 team in the country.
The wide receiver positions were filled by Desmond Howard (1988-91) and Anthony Carter (1979-82).
On defense, Portnoy selected Charles Woodson (1995-1997), acknowledging that players like Aidan Hutchinson could also be considered but ultimately favoring Woodson as perhaps the greatest player in school history.