Michigan’s offense hit a wall against Penn State, and by halftime the Wolverines had seen enough to make a quarterback switch.
After a first half that produced only 80 total yards on 23 plays and no points, Michigan turned from Bryce Underwood to freshman Tommy Carr for the second half of Saturday’s game against the visiting Nittany Lions. Underwood’s day had already gone sideways with two interceptions, and the offense never found any rhythm before the change came down.
Head coach Kyle Whittingham acknowledged the lack of movement on offense shortly before the break.
"Well, first of all, we got something going on offense," Whittingham said to CBS Sports sideline reporter Jenny Dell. "We've got absolutely nothing going.
We're not running the ball well. The only team not running the ball as well as us is them.
So, neither team can run the football. But two turnovers.
I don't have an answer for you right now. We're going to talk about it here at halftime.
Underwood’s struggles have defined much of the season, and they carried right into this one despite the bye week. Entering Saturday, the freshman had a sub-60% completion rate, 881 passing yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions. Against Penn State, he completed just five of 11 passes for 43 yards, with no touchdowns and those two interceptions.
Michigan’s inability to throw the ball also made life easier for Penn State on the ground. The Wolverines managed only 37 rushing yards in the first half, with Jordan Marshall leading the way on just 25 yards on six carries.
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