Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) practices next to quarterback Tommy Carr (14) at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor ahead of the game between Michigan and Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co Charles Post Mon, October 19, 2026 at 4:06 PM UTC · 4 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michigan Wolverines head coach Kyle Whittingham was coy about who will start at quarterback against the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday, saying there is a "secret plan" in place, but the mystery doesn't seem too difficult to solve.
The Wolverines opted to replace quarterback Bryce Underwood with Tommy Carr after a scoreless first half last week. Not only did the back up quarterback bring a spark to the offense, but Carr propelled Michigan to a win.
"We saw good stuff with what Tommy did in the second half," Whitingham told the media. "When a backup comes in, everyone gets a little bit of energy and excitement so it did not surprise me that the team rallied around Tommy."
Now, the question remains if Carr will continue on as the starting quarterback or if the Wolverines will give Underwood another chance against Indiana. The coaching staff has made their decision, but they don't want to reveal it just yet.
"We know exactly what we're going to do with the plan going forward," Whittingham said. "We're not going to tip our hand to the opponent, but we have a good plan in place, and that's really all that I want to say right now."
After reviewing the film individually and as a collective, the coaching staff came to a conclusion on who should be the starter going forward on Sunday. It's certainly a critical decision that will impact how the rest of the season plays out.
"The plan we're not revealing was talked about well into the night (on Sunday)," Whittingham said. "We give everyone a chance to watch the film separately, then we all watch it together. It was at the end of last night that we came to a conclusion."
There has been some speculation that Michigan could play both Carr and Underwood, but when asked about his thoughts on a platoon system, Whittingham said it's not something he wants to do.
"I've never been big on that," Whittingham said. "You hear the old adage that if you have two quarterbacks, you don't have one. We'll see what happens but as far as teams that I've coached, it's never been a real thing for us."
Carr has a lot of room to improve, so don't expect him to hit the ground running and make no mistakes against Indiana. However, he appears to be more composed and under control than Underwood, and he deserves a chance to start.
"He's a leader. He works his tail off and has a good rapport with his teammates," Whittingham said of Carr. "He got better in the spring, carried it through fall and when he got an opportunity for his first extensive work, he made the most of it."
Michigan might be a bit hesitant to turn the keys over to a true freshman quarterback, and rightfully so. But Carr has proven to be a positive impact on the offense, so it's hard to imagine the coaching staff having more trust in Underwood.
"There is not a quarterback that I've ever been around that studies more than Tommy," Whittingham said. "His football IQ is off the charts. He has a great football mind. He's a football junkie and he's a student of the game."
If you read the tea leaves, the plan might not be so secret after all. It would be a bit of a surprise if Underwood started after playing so poorly this season, and it seems pretty clear that Carr gives Michigan a better chance to win.
Source: Sports
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