Bryce Underwood arrived at Michigan with the kind of hype that usually comes attached to a future franchise quarterback. Less than a full season into the Kyle Whittingham era, though, the conversation around him has shifted in a way almost nobody would have expected.
Tommy Carr’s emergence has changed the picture. Underwood was benched at halftime against Penn State after going 5 of 11 for 43 yards and two interceptions, and Carr stepped in to help Michigan pull out a 21-18 win. That performance earned Carr the starting job for Indiana and left Underwood’s route back to the field looking far less straightforward.
That doesn’t mean Michigan should stop looking for ways to use him.
At 6-4 and about 230 pounds, Underwood still stands out as one of the most physically imposing athletes on the roster. Even during his rough stretches as a passer, his ability to slip tackles and create yards with his legs has been obvious. That kind of skill set opens the door to ideas beyond the standard quarterback role.
The cleanest fit might be a hybrid package. Michigan could line Underwood up in the backfield with Carr, use him on direct snaps in short-yardage situations or build designed running plays around him. Utah, Whittingham’s old program, is already leaning into a two-QB setup this year, so the concept isn’t exactly out of left field.
That would let Michigan tap into Underwood’s explosiveness without putting the full quarterback burden on him.
A move to wide receiver or tight end would be a much bigger leap. Athleticism alone won’t get a player through the details of route running, contested catches or blocking work, and Underwood’s experience as a pass catcher has been limited to sparing moments during his high school 7-on-7 days. Doing that at Michigan, in the Big Ten, would be a different challenge altogether.
The other question is whether Underwood would even want that kind of switch. He came to Michigan as THE No. 1 signal caller in the nation, and a position change would be a major departure from what he signed up for. With the transfer portal always in play, there’s no guarantee he’d be eager to reinvent himself.
At the same time, he’s still young enough that this doesn’t have to be a final verdict on his quarterback future. A rough start doesn’t erase the physical tools that made him such a prized recruit in the first place. Michigan doesn’t need to give up on that possibility just because Carr has given the offense a spark.
Still, Whittingham and offensive coordinator Jason Beck need more explosive playmakers, and Underwood fits that description.
Nobody is saying Michigan has already talked to him about changing positions. But if Carr proves he’s the long-term answer under center, the Wolverines may eventually have to make a call: keep one of their best athletes on the sideline, or find a creative way to get him on the field.
It’s an unconventional thought, but with Michigan’s offensive issues, it’s one worth considering.
In Other News...
Michigan Heads To Rutgers With Key Starting Spots Still Unsettled
Michigans trip to Rutgers comes with a little more uncertainty than a typical Big Ten road game, even after the third availability reports were released ahead of Saturdays matchup. The Wolverines already know they will be without starting offensive tackle Andrew Sprague, while linebacker Troy Bowles is listed as probable, leaving at least one key spot on the depth chart in flux as game day approaches.
Rutgers has its own issues to sort through, with starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan ruled out and wide receiver KJ Duff still questionable. For Michigan, the report adds another layer to a game that already carried plenty of importance, since the final lineup picture on both sides could still shift before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fans Still Have One Big Question About This Team
Michigans football program is drawing sharply different reactions from around the sport, and the latest round of comments only adds to the noise around what this team really is under Kyle Whittingham. Utah State coach Bronco Mendenhall had praise for offensive coordinator Jason Beck, while former Michigan players and analysts took aim at Whittinghams coaching style and some of his public remarks.
Greg Schiano offered a very different view from the outside, calling Michigans defense elite and pointing to several of the key players driving that reputation. With praise coming from one sideline and criticism from another, the bigger question for Michigan fans is how much of this is perception, how much is reality, and what it all means for a program still trying to define itself. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Won In A Way Fans Havent Seen In Awhile
Michigans 28-21 win over Rutgers came in a style Wolverines fans have not seen much of lately, with the offense carrying the day and the defense playing enough complementary football to finish the job. Freshman quarterback Tommy Carr and sophomore receiver JJ Buchanan delivered key touchdowns as Michigan piled up 425 yards of total offense, giving the home crowd a more familiar kind of rhythm on a day when the attack set the tone.
Rutgers kept pressing and put more points on the board than Michigan usually allows, but the Wolverines answered with the kind of late stops that can still define a close Big Ten game. For a team that has spent plenty of recent Saturdays leaning on defense, this one offered a different kind of proof of concept, even if it did not come without some anxious moments down the stretch. [Read more 🡒]