Kyle Whittingham Says Michigan Could Bench Tommy Carr for Bryce Underwood

A day after firing offensive coordinator Jason Beck, Michigan Wolverines head coach Kyle Whittingham could make another major decision for the offense. During his Monday press conference, Whittingham said the starting quarterback is "to be determined" for next Saturday's matchup with the Oregon Ducks.

Tommy Carr, the freshman signal-caller and grandson of former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr, has started the last three games under center. Bryce Underwood, the former five-star recruit and one of the highest-paid players in college football, served as the starter over the previous six contests.

The last time Michigan made a change under center, Whittingham took a similar approach to the decision, declining to reveal the starter until game day.

The case to bench Tommy Carr

Michigan quarterback (14) Tommy Carr gets sacked by Michigan State (11) Anelu Lafaele during the first half. — Michigan quarterback (14) Tommy Carr gets sacked by Michigan State (11) Anelu Lafaele during first-half action at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Before Monday's press conference, Whittingham had largely praised Carr's play in public.

"There's not a quarterback that I've ever been around that studies any more than Tommy Carr," Whittingham said before the freshman's first collegiate start. "And his football IQ is off the charts. He's got a football mind. He's a football junkie, and he is a real student of the game."

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The Michigan offense didn't generate a touchdown in Carr's debut as the starter, producing just six points in regulation and overtime, combined. However, he looked more capable the following week, completing 22 of his 27 attempts for 266 yards and a touchdown, adding 54 yards and two more scores as a rusher. That performance seemed to signal that, health permitting, Carr would remain the starting quarterback for the rest of 2026.

However, according to Whittingham, Carr exhibited a significant drop-off during Saturday's loss to the Michigan State Spartans. The numbers back up that assertion, with Carr completing just 14 of his 26 passes for 138 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. The latter figure looks the most concerning, as it tripled his pick total on the year.

The case to go back to Bryce Underwood

Oct 31, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) warms up before the game. — Oct 31, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) warms up before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For as middling as the quarterback play has looked overall during the Wolverines' past three games, Underwood didn't perform markedly better in his opportunities before that. Like Carr, he has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns this season, though Underwood has roughly twice the TD percentage as his freshman counterpart.

Still, Underwood's athleticism presents a greater threat to the defense than what Carr can muster, at least currently. While Carr has done some damage on unplanned scrambles, Michigan can dial up designed runs for Underwood, something that happened even after Whittingham changed starting quarterbacks.

Underwood, for his part, never pouted after the Wolverines benched him and instead continued to serve as a leader for the team. That approach makes a switch back to him more palatable than it might look in other circumstances. Whether any QB change can make a difference in an increasingly disappointing season for Michigan remains another matter.

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