Michigan Benches Bryce Underwood for Tommy Carr in Quarterback Shakeup

Michigan is set to start freshman quarterback Tommy Carr against No. 6 Indiana this Saturday, with incumbent Bryce Underwood moving to the backup role. The decision comes after Underwood was benched mid-game during Michigan's 21-18 victory over Penn State.

Carr, who had a single brief appearance earlier in the season, took over for Underwood against Penn State and completed 5 of 7 passes for 47 yards. He also contributed with four rushes for 36 yards and a touchdown. This will mark Carr's first NCAA start. Carr is also the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr.

Head coach Kyle Whittingham acknowledged the plan for the quarterback position on Monday but declined to reveal specifics to the opponent. "We know exactly what we're doing and the plan going forward," Whittingham stated. "We're not going to tip our hand to the opponent. But we have a good plan in place."

Whittingham added that he saw positive play from Carr in the second half against Penn State, describing him as "a real smooth guy, very efficient with his style."

Underwood, who was ranked as the No. 1 overall recruit for the 2025 class by 247Sports, has had a challenging second year in Ann Arbor. He has completed 58.1 percent of his passes this season, with five touchdowns and six interceptions. Michigan's record currently stands at 4-2.

Prior to being replaced against Penn State, Underwood completed 5 of 11 passes for 43 yards and had two interceptions. Offensive coordinator Jason Beck explained that the benching was due to turnover margin. "It was just one of those things: the turnover margin is such an important part of winning football games, and we've been on the wrong side of that early in the season, and we were on the wrong side of it in that first half," Beck said on "Inside Michigan Football." "That's what spurred the need to make a change for that second half."

Beck emphasized the need to protect the football to give the team the best chance to win.