Will Michigan football QB J.J. McCarthy run with Cade McNamara out?

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — On Saturday, in his first full game as Michigan football’s starting quarterback, playing every snap as the signal caller with no backup in sight, J.J. McCarthy ran five times for five yards. While it was his most this season in terms of attempts, technically — he was sacked and also lost yards on a fumble — it was his least productive outing on the ground outside of his season debut against Western Michigan last year (one run for -16 yards) and against Indiana (two runs for -14 yards).

Given that his threat to run the football opens things up for the offense, making opposing defenses have to respect his ability with his feet, McCarthy’s potential reticence to run the ball could limit the opportunity for that side of the ball. Yes, he has a strong arm and has shown pinpoint accuracy through much of the season, but is Michigan shutting down his feet while it waits for Cade McNamara to recover from his leg injury?

According to Matt Weiss, the team’s co-offensive coordinator and QB coach, the maize and blue still intend to use the threat of McCarthy running to keep defenses on their heels. But it must come at the right time.

“We will use them in that role. A lot of it has to do just with what the defense dictates that week,” Weiss said. “We feel like if we can use the quarterback runs successfully, we’ll do that. Absolutely. He’s really talented in that area. One of his many talents, he can run the ball effectively. So we’re going to keep using him that way when it’s called for.”

Of course, yes, there is concern when McCarthy does use his legs.

Last week, on one play when he scrambled, after getting the first down, when he could have cut outside and run out of bounds, instead he cut inside and took a big hit. If the Wolverines were to lose McCarthy due to injury at this juncture, it would mean inserting either Alan Bowman or Davis Warren.

Not that either wouldn’t be able to handle it, but given McCarthy’s…