Tommy Carr’s first college start has been a rough one, and Michigan offensive coordinator Jason Beck hasn’t made life any easier.
Carr already has two turnovers on the stat sheet against Indiana: a fumble that should have been reviewed for a forward pass, and a tipped interception after he tried to force the ball into quadruple coverage. That’s a brutal way to enter a game against an elite defense, but the problems around him have been just as glaring.
The playcalling has put Carr in some bad spots, and the sequence before the interception stood out as the clearest example. Beck brought in Bryce Underwood under center with Carr lined up outside, apparently trying to catch Indiana off guard. Instead, it was an obvious QB-designed run that lost a yard and left Carr facing third-and-long.
That was a horrible interception by Tommy Carr but what preceded it was worse.
Jason Beck dials up a Bryce Underwood obvious run to set Carr up with third and long. Coaching continues to fail these players
- Trevor Woods (@WoodsFootball) October 24, 2026
Underwood under center telegraphed run from the jump, and if Carr is already having trouble throwing, the idea of using Underwood to set up a pass only makes the situation more tangled. Beck isn’t fooling Indiana, and he isn’t tailoring the offense to Carr’s strengths.
Meanwhile, Michigan’s defense has done its part to keep the Wolverines alive. Jay Hill’s unit has been excellent against Indiana, forcing the Hoosiers to settle for field goals twice after turnovers gave them short fields. The secondary has been making plays all over Indiana’s receivers, and the defensive line has been getting in Josh Hoover’s face.
That defense has been a steadying force for Michigan all season, and it’s keeping this one within reach too. The opportunity is there for Beck and Carr to steal an upset, but with the offense stuck in neutral, that window won’t stay open long.
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A controversial roughing-the-passer flag on Michigan freshman Tariq Boney quickly became one of the biggest talking points in the early stages of the No. 6 Indiana matchup, after contact with quarterback Josh Hoover drew a penalty that gave Indiana 15 yards and a fresh set of downs. The call helped keep the drive alive and played a part in Indiana jumping out to an early lead, adding another layer to a game already under a bright spotlight.
Fox analyst Joel Klatt did not hide his frustration with the decision, calling out the officiating live as the sequence unfolded. For Michigan, it was the kind of penalty that can change the tone of a game in a hurry, and it comes amid broader debate over similar calls in recent weeks. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Wasted A Dominant Defensive Effort With One Infuriating Problem
Michigans defense did its part in the loss to Indiana, holding up well enough to keep the game within reach and give the Wolverines every chance to leave with a win. The trouble was on the other side of the ball, where the offense never found enough consistency to match that effort and a 13-6 defeat settled in as a wasted opportunity in a game Michigan had managed to keep under control.
Jason Becks play-calling will take the harshest scrutiny, especially the third-and-goal play-action decision that ended in a sack and erased a scoring chance the Wolverines badly needed. Tommy Carr had moments of promise with a few key completions, but his mixed night also included two turnovers, leaving Michigan stuck between a defense that showed up and an offense that never quite did enough to reward it. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Red Zone Frustration Just Put Jason Beck Under Fire
Michigans 13-6 loss to No. 6 Indiana was the kind of game that leaves an offense searching for answers, especially after moving the ball enough to finish with 224 total yards but not nearly enough to turn those possessions into points. The Wolverines had trouble running the ball, struggled to protect possession and got only a little help from a kicking game that included two missed attempts by Trey Butkowski, turning a winnable afternoon into another reminder of how thin the margin can be.
For Kyle Whittingham, the frustration also landed on the coaching decisions, with the Michigan coach taking responsibility for a questionable call from offensive coordinator Jason Beck that hurt the flow of the game. It added to a performance that never found the right rhythm in the red zone, and now the challenge is to clean up the offense quickly before the next stretch of games puts even more pressure on every drive. [Read more 🡒]