J.J. McCarthy has been mixed into the action as a freshman, and it sounds like head coach Jim Harbaugh wants to keep that going throughout this season.

The highly-touted quarterback came to the Wolverines as a 5-star prospect for the class of 2021. He was the highest-rated prospect for Michigan’s recruiting class and wound up as the backup QB to Cade McNamara following a battle in training camp.

McCarthy has seen action at times this week, including in the tight win over Nebraska. During that game, McCarthy was 0-for-1 passing and had 10 yards rushing with 3 carries.

During his Monday radio show appearance, Harbaugh discussed his plans for using McCarthy moving forward. He indicated a desire to keep playing the freshman “as much as possible,” mainly as a way to keep him prepared in the event McNamara goes down.

Angelique Chengelis with the Detroit News provided Harbaugh’s comments:

So far this season, McCarthy has gone 9-for-14 passing the ball with 178 yards and 2 TDs. He also has 17 yards on the ground and a rushing touchdown.