The Michigan Wolverines made one of the biggest quarterback decisions of the college football season Saturday afternoon, benching Bryce Underwood in favor of freshman Tommy Carr. But following Michigan’s 21-18 comeback victory over Penn State, head coach Kyle Whittingham revealed an interesting detail about who actually made the call.
According to Whittingham, the decision to bench Underwood came from Michigan’s offensive coaching staff, with offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jason Beck playing a central role. Whittingham supported the move, but made it clear that he wasn’t the person who initiated the change.
“The timing of it is a fine line to walk right there. We just felt – and it really was a decision by the offensive staff, and I supported it. I wasn’t against it. They said thinking of making a change…” Whittingham explained in comments shared by Clayton Sayfie.
The revelation is noteworthy considering Whittingham had publicly backed Underwood throughout Michigan’s recent offensive struggles. Just days earlier, he had maintained that the sophomore would remain Michigan’s starting quarterback against Penn State.
Jason Beck Played Key Role in Bryce Underwood Benching
Whittingham explained that the possibility of making a quarterback change had been discussed during Michigan’s bye week, well before Underwood’s disastrous first half against Penn State. Carr had already received extensive opportunities to work with the first-team offense, preparing him for the possibility of entering Saturday’s game.
“It’s tough, but going into the game, we had a lot of evaluation over the bye week – and Tommy got half the reps over the bye week, and he probably would have anyway,” Whittingham said in the same postgame discussion.
Those comments suggest Michigan’s decision was not simply an emotional reaction to two interceptions. The offensive staff had already evaluated its options, and Underwood’s first-half struggles ultimately provided the reason to make the switch.
As we reported when the change happened, Underwood finished the first half completing just 5 of 11 passes for 43 yards and two interceptions. Michigan entered halftime trailing 3-0 before Carr took over and helped spark the Wolverines’ comeback victory.
Whittingham Praises Bryce Underwood’s Reaction to Benching
Perhaps the most revealing part of Whittingham’s postgame comments concerned how Underwood responded after losing his place on the field. Rather than distancing himself from the team or showing frustration toward Carr, Underwood apparently handled the situation exactly how Michigan’s coaching staff would have hoped.
“The conversation was handled by Jason Beck, who’s the QB coach and coordinator. Bryce couldn’t have handled it any better. He was supporting Tommy and helping him between series. I love Bryce Underwood. He’s a competitor, got a lot of want-to and has a great personality,” Whittingham said, according to Sayfie’s additional postgame report.
That reaction is significant for a quarterback who arrived at Michigan as one of the most celebrated recruits in program history. Despite the disappointment of being benched, Underwood remained engaged and helped the player who replaced him.
The change also followed a week in which Beck publicly faced questions about Underwood’s development. As we previously covered, Michigan’s offensive coordinator had been reluctant to say that Underwood’s performance had met expectations through the opening portion of the season.
Carr responded to his opportunity by completing 5 of 7 passes for 47 yards while adding 36 rushing yards and a touchdown. Michigan scored all 21 of its points after the quarterback change, reinforcing why the offensive staff believed a different approach could help the Wolverines.
Whittingham has not yet named a starting quarterback for next Saturday’s matchup against Indiana, and the coaching staff will review the film before making that decision. But one thing is now clear: Michigan’s offensive staff pushed for the change, Whittingham backed it, and Jason Beck delivered the difficult news to Bryce Underwood.