One of the biggest recruiting coups in college football might just be showing signs of crumbling. The nation’s No. 1 prospect at the time, Bryce Underwood, was offered a bumper package, with the likes of Larry Ellison and Tom Brady among the high-profile figures involved in bringing him to Ann Arbor. It was a statement from the Wolverines about how far they were willing to go to win. Ask the program about the situation today, and the conversation turns uncomfortable.
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After throwing two interceptions in the first half against Penn State, Underwood was benched by Kyle Whittingham, only for freshman Tommy Carr to help lead Michigan to a 21-18 comeback victory. Now, with a crucial matchup against Indiana approaching, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit has advice for the coach, who must deal with a dilemma far bigger than football.
“I know by doing that, if it doesn’t work out, you know, you probably get fired,” he said on the Nonstop podcast while discussing the coach’s decision to play Carr.
But at the same time, sticking with an underperforming QB — regardless of how much money they cost — could be equally damaging. About that, Herbstreit had little sympathy for Underwood.
“Well, is the goal to win or to keep everybody happy that you’re paying? Well, now, when you start putting business logos on your jersey and having people throw all this money, what do you want to do?” the ESPN analyst added.
Underwood had signed a four-year NIL package valued around $12 million to flip his commitment from LSU to Michigan in 2024. The package was reportedly backed by Michigan collectives and wealthy donors, including billionaire Ellison, Brady, and Dave Portnoy. Benching a player like that is huge even when they are underperforming.
Underwood won Michigan’s starting job during fall camp in 2025 and started all 13 games as a freshman. He threw for 2,428 yards, completing 60.3% of his passes, and added 392 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground. However, he struggled with consistency as a passer, throwing 11 touchdowns against nine interceptions. He also had trouble handling pressure, getting sacked 20 times during the season.
Through six games this season, Underwood has thrown for 924 yards, five touchdowns, and a Big Ten-leading six interceptions while completing 58.1% of his passes. Against Penn State on October 17, he completed five of 11 passes for 43 yards and threw two interceptions, prompting Whittingham to bench him at halftime with Michigan trailing 3-0.
Herbstreit doubled down, “I’m trying to win my freaking game. You’re out. You’re like, ‘No, no, no, I don’t care about any boosters.’ I’m either going to get the same old same old and lose, or I try something else that might spark the team. It’s worth the risk to me.”
Carr’s performance against Penn State supports that argument. After coming on, Tommy, the grandson of former Wolverines coach Lloyd Carr, completed five of seven passes for 47 yards, rushed for 36 yards, and scored the decisive 12-yard touchdown with 2:58 remaining. Michigan also rushed for 211 yards and benefited from crucial defensive turnovers, with Whittingham crediting the offensive line for its best half of the season.
The victory improved Michigan to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten. But Whittingham hasn’t named his starter for Saturday’s matchup against No. 6 Indiana yet.
“We know exactly what we’re doing with the plan going forward,” Whittingham said, according to Maize n Brew. “We’re not going to tip our hand to the opponent, but we have a good plan in place.”
During his October 19 press conference, Whittingham expressed reservations about rotating quarterbacks and praised Carr’s preparation and football intelligence. He confirmed that the freshman would have access to the entire playbook if selected against Indiana.
That’s a significant shift considering Underwood had started 19 consecutive games, with Whittingham publicly backing him as Michigan’s best option just days before the Penn State game. Herbstreit, meanwhile, extended his argument to Texas.
He suggested that he would consider benching Arch Manning if backup KJ Lacey offered the Longhorns a better chance to win.
“I love Arch, but if I think KJ Lacey can give me a chance, a better chance of winning, I got to play… I gotta try KJ Lacy,” Herbstreit declared.
Texas has struggled in recent weeks, losing back-to-back games to Oklahoma and Florida by identical 27-24 scores. Manning has made costly mistakes in both defeats, including a late pick-six against Oklahoma and a turnover in the closing minutes against Florida. Despite the struggles, Steve Sarkisian continues to back his quarterback, while backup KJ Lacey has limited college experience.
The discussion in the podcast then shifted to booster interference.
Analyst Joey Galloway described wealthy donors contributing $2 million or $3 million to recruiting efforts, appearing on practice sidelines in cowboy boots, and demanding explanations when players they helped finance get benched. Herbstreit warned that allowing donors to dictate playing time would undermine a coach’s authority.
He argued that boosters should instead trust the staff evaluating practices and game film, or question why the program invested heavily in a recruit who hasn’t met expectations.
He also pointed to the difficulty of evaluating highly rated quarterbacks. Physical attributes and impressive summer-camp throws don’t necessarily reveal whether a player can process defenses, make quick decisions, or deliver accurate passes under pressure.
Underwood’s reported NIL package has fueled speculation about whether his contract influenced his prolonged starting role. However, there’s no established evidence that Michigan’s donors pressured Whittingham to keep playing him.
Despite the benching, Underwood remained on the sideline encouraging Carr and his teammates, earning praise from Whittingham and offensive tackle Blake Frazier for his leadership.
Now, Michigan faces a tougher test against Indiana. Carr helped secure the Wolverines’ first Big Ten victory of the season, but one productive half against Penn State doesn’t establish him as the long-term answer.
Whittingham already has a plan but won’t reveal it publicly. With Michigan’s playoff hopes under pressure, another quarterback failure could prove costly. And as Herbstreit warned, making the wrong call could leave the coach answering for considerably more than another loss.