The Wolverines left starter Bryce Underwood at halftime in Saturday’s 21-18 win over the Nittany Lions, turning to backup quarterback Tommy Carr.
Needing some momentum, head coach Kyle Whittingham entrusted his $12 million second year to the grandson of legendary Michigan coach Lloyd Carr and the younger brother of Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr.
The move paid off as Carr put the game away with a 12-yard touchdown run to secure Michigan’s first Big 10 win of Kyle Whittingham’s tenure.
“He was very prepared when his number was called,” Whittingham said, “and he responded very well.”
Tommy Carr orchestrated three touchdowns in the second half, finishing his second career appearance with 5 of 7 passing for 47 yards and 38 yards rushing with a score.
Underwood had another rough afternoon against Penn State, completing 5 of 11 passes for 43 yards, rushing for 11 yards and throwing two interceptions in a scoreless first half. The second turnover ended an eventual score that reached the Penn State 36-yard line in the final minute of the second quarter.
Underwood, the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, has gotten off to an inconsistent start through his first six games under Whittingham and new offensive coordinator Jason Beck. During his sophomore campaign, he totaled 924 yards while completing 58 percent of his passes, and recorded seven total touchdowns and eight turnovers. Many wondered if his $12 million NIL contract kept him at center despite his struggles.
For next week’s game, Whittingham said his coaching staff will decide by Monday who will get the nod between Underwood and Carr, although it’s possible the team won’t “give us a hand,” Whittingham said, before facing defending national champion Indiana.
“We’ll have a great idea when we all know exactly what the plan is on Monday,” Whittingham said. “How much we’re going to let out of the bag, we’ll see.”
With the Wolverines leading 3-0 at halftime, Whittingham made a change. Carr, a former three-star recruit, got his chance to shine, under his grandfather’s eyes from a sequel to “The Big House.”
“Coach came to me and told me it’s my time,” Carr said. “I’ve been preparing for it since day one, so I was ready and my teammates were supporting me. We played a great second half and got the job done.”
Michigan avoided its first 0-3 start in the Big Ten since 1967 with the home victory. The Wolverines face another major challenge next week against an Indiana team whose 22-game winning streak was snapped by Ohio State on Saturday.
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