Kyle Whittingham Explains Why Michigan Played Tommy Carr & Bryce Underwood vs. Oregon

After taking the starting job from Bryce Underwood, Tommy Carr had one great game against Rutgers and then a pedestrian game against Michigan State. After the Wolverines made the move to fire Jason Beck, the Wolverines reopened the quarterback battle.

However, it was leaked earlier this week that Carr would start for Michigan and that Underwood would also see playing time. What did that mean? Well, Carr started the game as reported and after a 1-for-5 start to the game, Michigan opted to put Underwood in the game.

The Wolverines passed for a total of 71 yards on six-for-20 passing and neither player looked good against Oregon. As for why Underwood played, it was pretty simple, according to Kyle Whittingham. Underwood deserved another chance, and Carr was having the same turnover issues Underwood had when he was benched.

"Well, you saw Tommy's play last week," Whittingham said after the game. "It was really very similar to what Bryce's was when we pulled Bryce several weeks ago. But Bryce deserved another opportunity. And so that was the sole reason. It was giving Bryce another opportunity, with Tommy's game — kinda went south on him the previous week."

Moving forward

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Michigan Wolverines quarterback Tommy Carr — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Carr went 4-for-12 for 45 yards, while Underwood completed 2-for-8 passes for 26 yards. Carr did have 43 yards on the ground, but both passers had errant throws, and Underwood had around five turnover-worthy throws.

Whittingham said the plan was for Underwood to play in the third series, barring Carr coming out and lighting the Ducks' defense up, but that didn't happen. Despite Michigan running for a season-high 215 yards, the passing game, once again, let the Wolverines down.

"We had planned for the third series unless — you have a tentative plan — that we would have two fabulous 80-yard drives, we wouldn't have made the switch," said Whittingham. "But the plan was that, you know, barring something that was out of the ordinary, we would play Bryce in that third series. And then decide that from that point forward, just to focus the best chance that we could."

What's going to happen moving forward? Whittingham has no idea. He said the Wolverines will watch the film and try to determine whatever direction it is that Michigan is headed toward with two weeks remaining. The Wolverines have ranked games against UCLA and Ohio State left on the schedule.

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