A win over Penn State should have given Michigan plenty to celebrate, but Bryce Underwood’s struggles have stolen the spotlight. Two interceptions later, the highly touted quarterback was benched, and suddenly, his grip on the starting job looks shaky.
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On Monday, Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham offered a glimpse of confidence in the quarterback room, telling the media that they “saw good stuff” and “have a good plan in place.”
However, with Indiana looming in Week 8, the biggest question remains unanswered: who will get the nod as the starting quarterback? Whittingham has yet to reveal his hand, leaving the battle for the starting job hanging in the balance.
His comments come after Underwood continued to struggle to find his rhythm this season. Michigan’s quarterback threw two interceptions in the second quarter against Penn State. The first came when receiver Andrew Marsh failed to hold on to a deep pass, allowing defensive back Zion Tracy to come away with the ball.
Things only got worse on the next pick, as Underwood floated a pass straight into the hands of cornerback Josiah Zayas, who pulled off a stunning one-handed interception. The latest meltdown took his tally to six interceptions this season, including five in his last three games.
Even more concerning, Underwood has now thrown more interceptions than passing touchdowns, with just five scores to his name. His struggles eventually forced Kyle Whittingham to pull the plug and turn to backup quarterback Tommy Carr to rescue the game. And Carr did exactly that.
The Saline native wasted no time making his presence felt, completing five of seven passes for 47 yards while adding 36 yards on four carries. But Carr saved his biggest play for the moment that mattered most, powering his way into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.
He came really close to scoring earlier, bursting 22 yards through the middle before being brought down just inches short of the goal line. But when the game was on the line, Carr delivered. Facing third-and-9 from the 12-yard line, he kept the ball on a speed option, trusted his instincts, and powered into the end zone to seal the victory.
Tommy Carr’s game-winning performance has thrown Michigan’s quarterback battle wide open, putting Bryce Underwood’s starting job under fresh scrutiny.
Adding to the intrigue, Underwood’s recent trip to California has drawn attention following his halftime benching against Penn State. However, head coach Kyle Whittingham dismissed any speculation, explaining that the trip took place after the team’s scheduled activities had concluded.
“We never have optional practices,” Whittingham said. “We did practice or have meetings Monday through Thursday, and after Thursday the players were free to do what they needed to do Friday, Saturday, Sunday.”
“My understanding is Bryce went down to California and worked with a personal trainer, so he wasn’t just on vacation. He went down there and was working his tail off those three days — Friday, Saturday, Sunday.”
Despite back-to-back disappointing performances, Kyle Whittingham appears to be standing by Bryce Underwood. His latest comments suggest that the head coach still believes his quarterback can turn things around. However, even then, we may see Tommy Carr start the game against the Hoosiers, who are coming off a tough loss to Michigan’s arch-rivals.