Michigan QB vs. Rutgers: Carr or Underwood by Tuesday

Asked Monday whether Carr keeps the job, Whittingham didn't commit.

Austin Meek

@byAustinMeek

Kyle Whittingham on who will start at QB against Rutgers: “That will be a decision we’ll make in the next couple days.”

That's not a vote of confidence in a freshman who just got his first real start. Against No. 6 Indiana, Carr went 20-of-32 for 167 yards with an interception and a lost fumble, and the Michigan offense put up 6 points in regulation plus overtime. The defense did enough to win that game. The offense didn't, and now the Wolverines sit at 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the Big Ten.

The other piece of news from Monday was the deadline. The staff isn't letting this drag into Thursday's practice.

Clayton Sayfie

@CSayf23

It's "to be determined" who will start at QB for Michigan this week, according to Kyle Whittingham. The plan will be "set in stone" by Tuesday morning.

Here's the backstory. Bryce Underwood, the 5-star who flipped from LSU in the 2025 class on an NIL deal reportedly worth at least $10 million over 4 years, opened the season as the starter. Back on October 12, after losses to Iowa and Minnesota, Whittingham was still calling him "our guy." That lasted 5 days. Underwood threw 2 first-half interceptions against Penn State on October 17 and got pulled at halftime. Carr came in, scored on the ground, led Michigan back to a 21-18 win and got the Indiana start for it.

Carr is about as Michigan as a quarterback gets. He's the grandson of Lloyd Carr, who won the 1997 national title in Ann Arbor, the son of former Wolverines QB Jason Carr, and the younger brother of Notre Dame QB CJ Carr. None of that helps him if the offense keeps putting up 6 points against good teams, and Underwood's 6 turnovers on the year don't make him an easy answer either. Whittingham is stuck picking between the freshman who sparked a comeback and the guy Michigan paid to be the face of the program.

Watch for the call Tuesday morning. Kickoff at Rutgers is 12:30 p.m. ET Saturday. If Carr keeps the job, Whittingham is backing him through a rough first start. If Underwood gets it back, the benching was a 2-week wake-up call. Either way, a team at 1-3 in conference play needs this one, and the QB who wins Tuesday's decision probably keeps the job for the rest of the year.