ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Bryce Underwood got benched and Tommy Carr was given a chance to lead Michigan’s lackluster offense. Carr took advantage in a 21-18 win over Penn State on Saturday.
Kyle Whittingham, in his first season as coach of college football’s winningest program, made the move in the third quarter when the Wolverines (3-2, 1-2 Big Ten) were trailing the Nittany Lions 3-0 at halftime.
“The idea at halftime was to create a spark, and Tommy did just that,” Whittingham said.
Carr did, indeed, helping Michigan score two touchdowns in the third quarter, and his 12-yard touchdown run gave the team a two-score lead it needed for a win to avoid starting 0-3 in the Big Ten for the first time since 1967.
“To score that touchdown to seal the game was huge,” Carr said.
Tommy Carr is the brother of Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, grandson of 1997 national championship-winning coach Lloyd Carr and College Football Hall of Fame defensive back Tom Curtis, a former Wolverine. Tommy Carr is the son of Michigan graduates, including former walk-on quarterback Jason Carr.
Underwood’s job has been in jeopardy since his shaky performance in a disputed season-opening win over Western Michigan.
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He threw two interceptions in the second quarter against Penn State. On the first pick, receiver Andrew Marsh had his hands on a deep pass and lost control of the football that landed in defensive back Zion Tracy’s hands. On the second interception, Underwood lofted a pass that cornerback Josiah Zayas snagged with one hand.
It was his fifth interception in three games and sixth this season, surpassing his total of five passing touchdowns.
Underwood arrived on campus last year as the nation’s No. 1 recruit. He flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan after Oracle founder Larry Ellison and Tom Brady became involved with the recruitment that included a financial package worth about $12 million over three years in revenue sharing and NIL deals.
He did not approach the hype during his freshman year, throwing 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions, and didn’t do himself any favors with comments before the season started.
“I feel like nobody’s seen a freshman like me,” Underwood said in an interview last year with the Big Ten Network.
Underwood also predicted he would win “a couple Heismans and at least one natty,” in an interview on “The Rich Eisen Show” shortly after signing with Michigan.
Underwood even looked shaky in the spring game earlier this year and didn’t do enough to hold onto his job this season.