By David Wolcott, Old Colony Memorial (Plymouth)
PLYMOUTH, Mass. -- Mike McCarthy posted some incredible numbers as a dual-threat quarterback for Bridgewater State. He’ll get his reward for those efforts Friday, Oct. 18 when he is inducted into the BSU Athletics Hall of Fame with the rest of the induction Class of 2019.
“It’s something you think about, but being elected in your first year of eligibility is an incredible honor,” the 28-year-old Plymouth resident said. “I couldn’t have done this without my family, coaches and teammates that have been right there beside me all the way. My parents (Mike and Susan) played a huge role in my success. My dad would throw with me four times a week in the off-season, every off-season, all throughout high school and college, and then after we threw he would have me condition or lift weights.
“People see the success I had on the field but what they don’t see is the people behind the scenes that made it possible for me. I would never have been able to accomplish this without them, and I am so grateful for all of them.”
After graduating from Bridgewater, McCarthy played pro football in Switzerland with the Geneva Seahawks and then back home with the New Hampshire Brigade of the CAN/AM Indoor Football League before transitioning from player to mentor, and he’s now passing along the football knowledge accumulated over the years.
A health teacher at Plymouth North, he is also the offensive coordinator for the Blue Eagles football team and trains close to 50 youth, high school and college quarterbacks as part of his M2 QB Academy business.
“I love helping kids that truly want to get better and are hungry to learn,” McCarthy said. “Easily the most rewarding part of this endeavor is developing relationships with these athletes and their families. It’s my absolute passion and I can’t wait to continue to help them going forward.”
Coaching football was a natural progression for McCarthy. His father, Mike, and his uncle, Brian Usher, both coached at the University of Connecticut and his older brother, Eric, is the head football coach at Georgetown High.
“I guess it’s in my blood. Making the transition from player to coach was really a no-brainer for me and I love the fact that I’m still constantly learning new things” about playing quarterback said McCarthy, who coached in the BSU football program for three years after he graduated. “I love the process of coaching, digging into the tape and studying technique to find the things that will help players improve their overall game.”
After leading the Martha’s Vineyard football team to the MIAA Super Bowl game as a senior in 2008 McCarthy completed a redshirt year at Merrimack College and then decided to transfer to Bridgewater State. Good decision. He started at quarterback all 41 games of his four years and set offensive records that still stand today.
“Transferring to Bridgewater was the best decision I’ve ever made,” McCarthy said. “I met my wife, Hannah, in college and some of my best friends to this day are people I coached with and played with while I was there.”
Bridgewater State’s offensive philosophy was a perfect fit for McCarthy’s aggressive nature on the football field as he led them to a record of 27-14, including a berth in the 2012 NCAA Division III Tournament.
McCarthy completed 361 of 707 of his career pass attempts for 4,672 yards and 41 touchdowns. He also rushed for 2,806 yards, scoring 42 touchdowns on the ground.
He still holds the BSU record for total offense (7,478 career yards) and at one time also held the career marks for passing yards and completions. He was chosen an All-MASCAC First Team All-Star in 2013 and played in the All-American Bowl after his senior season.
Joining McCarthy ’14 in the 23rd induction class to be enshrined on Oct. 18 during Bridgewater State’s Homecoming Weekend will be Betsy Ahern ’05, Christopher Carr ’01, Carrie (Kuprycz) Consalvi ’01, Andrea (Erickson) Crespi ’90, Robert Mason ’65, Timothy Millerick ’82 and James Quinlan ’08.