J.J. McCarthy, in the Q4 of his first NFL game, finally realized an ambition he’d cherished since his days at Michigan. Maintain possession of the zone read, and then charge through a defender to secure the touchdown that wins the game. The hockey player in him came out, the part that relished the rough play and wanted to be the one with the ball during the most important moments. At UM, though, that natural urge was contained and put aside in the interest of health and environmentalism. Michigan Wolverines prioritized keeping McCarthy safe for the long term, even if it meant muting his most effective asset. That same philosophy now hangs over starter Bryce Underwood, and on Saturday against Oklahoma, it was glaring.

Michigan’s offense was stuck in the mud. The Sooners tore through the line, defenders living in the backfield and flushing Bryce Underwood out of rhythm before he could set his feet. The freshman looked rattled, finishing just 9-for-24 with three carries for negative yardage. He had only one designed run all game, a staggering stat for a player known as a dual threat in high school. The Wolverines fell 24-13 in their first big test, and the handcuffs on Underwood were easy to spot. On Monday evening, head coach Sherrone Moore addressed it on the Inside Michigan Football radio program.

His words made clear this was no accident but a deliberate choice. “Yeah, I think for sure that at some point you’ll do that,” Moore said. “It’s a long year, and you’ve got 12 guaranteed opportunities. So your quarterback, like I always say, if you run him, you better have two because they’re going to take a lot of hits. And he’s a big dude, and he wants to do that, but you just got to be very cognizant of how you use him in certain situations.” The message was unmistakable—patience, not risk, would govern Underwood’s usage.

It’s an understandable stance. Michigan just trudged through a season with no viable option, and Sherrone Moore isn’t eager to test depth again by rolling the dice with his prized freshman. The logic is sound: preserve the arm, minimize the hits, and build the foundation around Underwood’s passing. But in CFB, safety nets aren’t built to last. One loss is already on the record, and the margin for error is microscopic. At some point, the Wolverines must unleash what they recruited: a QB who can break a defense with his legs as well as his arm.

History makes the tension even sharper. “J.J. wanted to run every game,” Moore said, reflecting on McCarthy’s years as a starter. “I was like, ‘No, you’re going to get hit. You’re going to get hurt.’” It’s the same cautious lens now pointed at Bryce Underwood. The irony, of course, is that McCarthy’s NFL debut showed how dangerous those runs can be. The fear of injury lingers, but the reward of unleashing a mobile quarterback—converting third downs, creating chaos, extending plays—is too great to keep in storage forever. Football players need to make football plays, and that includes running when the pocket collapses.

Underwood has the build at 6-foot-4, the pedigree as the No. 1 player in his class, and the athleticism that haunted defenses at the high school level. Right now, though, Michigan is asking him to be a statue in a collapsing pocket, a formula that played directly into Oklahoma’s hands. Moore is right about the season being long, but with the Big Ten gauntlet looming, the Wolverines don’t have the luxury of waiting forever.

Will Sherrone ever let Bryce Underwood run wild in Ann Arbor?

Using Bryce Underwood as a runner wouldn’t suddenly flip a switch and turn Michigan’s offense into a juggernaut. But it sure could help loosen the bolts, which is exactly why coach Sherrone Moore insists the option remains on the table. “We will at some point,” he said. “But if you run your quarterback, you better have two.” It’s a philosophy rooted in pragmatism—protect the golden arm, preserve the five-star asset, and avoid a nightmare scenario with no viable backup. On paper, that makes sense.

But football isn’t played on paper. In the NFL, logic often takes a backseat to artistry, and quarterbacks with wheels are rewriting the rulebook. Just look at Sunday’s duel between Allen and Lamar. Allen bulldozed defenders like an LB in pads, while Jackson danced and spun free for chunk gains, both proving that the ability to scramble isn’t just a bonus—it’s a cheat code.

Meanwhile, Michigan slogged through its 24-13 loss at Oklahoma with no rhythm to speak of. Underwood finished with negative rushing yards. Across the field, Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer became the ultimate difference-maker, racking up 74 yards on 19 carries. That was the blueprint everyone expected from Underwood.