Kyle Whittingham Says Michigan has 'Good Plan in Place' for QB but Won't Reveal Starter

Michigan has less than a week before hosting Indiana, but head coach Kyle Whittingham doesn't want to "tip his hand" about which QB he plans to start.

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) practices next to quarterback Tommy Carr (14) at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor ahead of the game between Michigan and Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Michigan Wolverines have a decision to make at quarterback and less than a week to make that call before hosting the defending-champion Indiana Hoosiers. The program has rolled with former five-star recruit Bryce Underwood since the start of the 2025 season, but his status as the starter appears in serious doubt after the coaching staff benched him for freshman Tommy Carr at halftime of last Saturday's tilt with the Penn State Nittany Lions.

On Monday, Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham said the staff has "a good plan in place" and already knows which signal-caller will start this Saturday. However, he declined to reveal whether Carr or Underwood will ultimately get the nod.

Whittingham's comments on Carr and Underwood

Whittingham said he saw plenty of positives from Carr, whom the coach described as "a football junkie." Carr finished the game with five completions on seven attempts and added 36 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Whittingham didn't want to overload the freshman signal-caller in his first extended action, but the offense did produce touchdowns on half its full possessions with Carr under center.

"We saw good stuff out of what Tommy did in that second half," Whittingham said. "And we know exactly what we're doing with the plan going forward. We're not going to tip our hand to the opponent. But we have a good plan in place. That's about all I can say on that."

Whittingham further summarized Carr's performance by highlighting how former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr, Tommy Carr's paternal grandfather, felt watching his grandson run in a touchdown to extend the Wolverines' lead to 10 points.

"I'm sure he was a proud grandpa," Whittingham said.

An awesome moment in Michigan: Tommy Carr scores his first touchdown and his grandpa's cheering him on. pic.twitter.com/7hISGXzRxZ

— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) October 17, 2026

As for Underwood, Whittingham said the coaching staff remains in his corner and didn't lose confidence when the signal-caller threw his second interception against Penn State. While Whittingham admitted that those turnovers pushed Michigan to change quarterbacks at halftime, the coach doesn't believe the benching has dented Underwood's confidence.

Details about the "good plan" for quarterback scarce

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) cheers on quarterback Tommy Carr (14) at a timeout against Penn State during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Whittingham apparently believes he can maintain a competitive advantage by holding back the name of his starting quarterback. However, the coach did share a few meaningful details.

Most significantly, it does not appear that the Wolverines will use both Carr and Underwood in some kind of rotation. Whittingham noted that he hasn't used quarterback platoons in the past and would rather prepare one of them to handle the full game plan instead. Whittingham also doesn't have any concerns about Carr handling the full mental workload.

"There's not a quarterback I've ever been around that studies any more than Tommy Carr," Whittingham said. "His football IQ is off the charts."

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