Michigan’s quarterback situation has started to tilt from promising to precarious, and Kyle Whittingham made the line pretty clear this week: keep giving the ball away, and the leash gets short.
Bryce Underwood entered the year as the five-star phenom, the highly paid quarterback expected to keep the Wolverines on par with the Ohio State’s of the world. At times, he has flashed that kind of ceiling. At other times, he has looked lost.
That’s the part Michigan can’t afford.
Underwood has been shaky with the football since the midway point of last season. He threw just two interceptions in his first eight games last season, then turned around and tossed 11 picks in his last 10.
He has also lost a few fumbles along the way. The problem has become too big to ignore, and it played a major role in Michigan’s loss on Saturday.
Whittingham was direct in his press conference this week. He said there were no massive changes coming, but the offense has to do a better job holding onto the ball. And because Underwood touches it on every snap, the quarterback sits right at the center of the issue.
"We continue to stress with everybody the importance of taking care of the ball," Whittingham said. "With him touching the ball on every single snap, he's a big part of that. If we don't get this turnover thing fixed rapidly, then something's gotta give."
What gives, if the mistakes keep piling up, is Underwood’s spot on the field. Whittingham essentially laid out the path to Tommy Carr getting in the game: if the turnovers continue, Underwood will come out.
Maybe one turnover is survivable on Saturday. Multiple turnovers probably are not, unless one comes late and Michigan is already well ahead. Otherwise, Carr could be the next quarterback to take those snaps.
Carr, the son of legendary Michigan football head coach Lloyd Carr, who led Michigan to the national title in 1997, has looked good every time he’s played. Whittingham said he looks good in practice, too, though he said that about Underwood as well.
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Michigan Returns To Ann Arbor With Pressure On Bryce Underwood
Michigan comes back to Ann Arbor still looking for a cleaner footing in a season that has already grown uneasy, and the matchup ahead carries more weight than the records suggest. Penn State arrives at 3-3 overall and 0-3 in the Big Ten, while Michigan is 3-2 and winless in league play, leaving both sides in search of answers after recent losing streaks and under first-year head coaches trying to steady things early.
The most closely watched part of Michigans side remains the quarterback spot, where Bryce Underwood is set to keep starting as the Wolverines try to find more consistency on offense. Offensive coordinator Jason Beck is also staying in place, and with the pressure building around a team that has not yet found its conference rhythm, this next stretch will say a lot about how quickly Michigan can settle in at home. [Read more 🡒]
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What makes Earby especially interesting for the Wolverines is the familiarity factor. He already knows Michigan coach Tyler Stockton from Stocktons time at Boise State, which should help speed up the transition as Michigan looks for immediate help on the back end. Alongside former Tulane and Miami tight end Alex Bauman, Earby gives the staff another veteran option to work into the mix, but his arrival is the one with the clearest potential to address a pressing need right away. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Defense Gets A Big Opening Against Penn State
Penn State is heading into the matchup with Michigan without wide receiver Koby Howard, who will miss the game because of injury and extend his absence to a fourth straight week. It is a notable setback for a passing game that will already be trying to navigate one of the tougher defenses on the schedule, with Michigan entering the contest having kept opponents to 20 points or fewer this season.
For Michigan, Howards absence only sharpens the challenge for a defense that has leaned on its front and secondary to control games. The Wolverines are expected to bring extra pressure on Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht, and how well that line and coverage unit can disrupt timing could go a long way toward deciding whether Penn State finds enough answers through the air. [Read more 🡒]