IS IT TIME FOR A CHANGE IN ANN ARBOR?

Should Michigan Bench Bryce Underwood? Not Yet.

When an offense struggles, the backup quarterback quickly becomes the most popular player on the team. After Michigan’s last two losses, Tommy Carr is starting to find himself in that position.

Bryce Underwood has taken much of the criticism, and some of it is deserved. Michigan’s offense has been “flat-out dreadful,” as Sports Illustrated’s Trent Knoop put it, and Underwood hasn’t given fans much reason to believe a turnaround is coming.

I understand why people want to see Carr, I honestly did after the loss, but it's just not the prudent decision. Michigan should give Underwood more time before making a change that could have existential consequences for the program's future.

Underwood and Carr on Paper

Underwood arrived with enormous expectations. Steve Kornacki’s April 18 Wolverine Report identifies him as the nation’s No. 1 recruit, and Sports Illustrated reports that Michigan committed a reported $12 million to bring him to Ann Arbor. After starting every game in 2025, he is now a sophomore learning a new offense. And it has not been successful.

Carr, meanwhile, gave fans something to get excited about. He completed 21 of 30 passes for 143 yards in the spring game and added 59 yards on 10 carries. Whittingham called him the spring’s most pleasant surprise and said he has the “‘It’ factor.” 

Carr also has a family history that makes him an easy player for Michigan fans to embrace. His grandfathers, Lloyd Carr and Tom Curtis, are both in the College Football Hall of Fame. His father, Jason, was a Michigan backup quarterback, and his older brother, CJ, started at Notre Dame last season.

But Carr has credentials of his own. A late flip from Miami of Ohio, he was an All-State quarterback at Saline High and helped lead the team to consecutive state semifinal appearances. Kornacki reports that he completed 69 percent of his passes for 2,737 yards, 37 touchdowns and six interceptions over two seasons.

There are real reasons to be optimistic about him. There are also limits to what Michigan can take from a spring game. Playing well in April is encouraging, but it doesn’t establish that Carr is ready to turn around this offense during the season.

Why Fans Want a Change

The numbers make it hard to defend what Michigan is doing offensively. According to Sports Illustrated, the Wolverines rank No. 111 nationally in passing offense and No. 100 in rushing offense.

The comparison with Ohio State is especially frustrating. Jeremiah Smith alone has 823 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Underwood has thrown for 881 yards and five touchdowns. One rival receiver is just 58 yards short of Michigan’s starting quarterback’s total passing yardage, with four more touchdowns.

Those numbers don’t tell the whole story, but do show why fans are losing patience.

Nick Popio of GBM Wolverine makes a reasonable case for trying Carr. He points to 2020, when Jim Harbaugh replaced a struggling Joe Milton with Cade McNamara. That decision helped set up Michigan’s success the following season. Popio sees some of McNamara’s “moxie” in Carr, and it’s easy to understand the appeal of a quarterback who might bring some composure to a struggling offense.

Still, that comparison only goes so far. Carr hasn’t yet shown what he can do as Michigan’s starter.

Give Underwood a Chance to Respond

My biggest concern with benching Underwood is what comes afterward.

I think that a mid season benching would put Underwood one foot out the transfer door. A transfer isn’t guaranteed, but Michigan has to consider that possibility. If the staff makes the switch, it should be prepared for Bryce to burn the Bridge and Carr to become the long term option (because Michigan has been quite dormant in the transfer portal world, especially considering the turnover of coaches).

The reported $12 million investment makes the situation more complicated, though it shouldn’t decide who plays. Michigan needs to start the quarterback who gives it the best chance to win. Right now, I’m not convinced there is enough evidence that Carr is that quarterback.

Why is Underwood struggling? Underwood is being asked to run an offense tailored to making Jason Beck happy, not an offense tailored to Bryce Underwood. They need to switch to using play action, and defined vertical threats, instead of staying horizontal all the time.

To me, that seems worth trying before moving on. Underwood still has to make better decisions, but the coaching staff also has a responsibility to put him in situations where he can succeed.

And changing quarterbacks won’t fix every problem. Popio notes that Carr would still need better protection and a productive running game. Those issues would follow him onto the field.

I also worry about asking a freshman to rescue an offense that is struggling this badly. Carr’s spring performance earned him attention, but starting him now would bring a different level of pressure. His last name might buy him some goodwill at first. It would also make every mistake a bigger story.

So how long can you still be with Underwood?

My answer: Two more games 

I would give Underwood two more guaranteed chances. That doesn’t mean letting him keep the job indefinitely. Michigan needs to see better reads, fewer turnovers and an offense that can sustain drives. If those things don’t improve, the move to Carr should happen after Indiana, in a timely spot against a poor Rutgers team.

For now, though, I want to see what Underwood can do with an offense built more clearly around his strengths. Michigan has tougher home tests ahead, and a strong performance could change the conversation quickly.

Carr may eventually be the answer. I just don’t think Michigan has reached that point yet