Tommy Carr may not be a familiar name to the broader college football public yet, but at Michigan, the last name carries real weight. The Wolverines are expected to lean on the 19-year-old in Week 7 against Penn State after head coach Kyle Whittingham chose to bench starting quarterback Bryce Underwood following a rough first half.
For Carr, it’s a chance to start building his own story at Michigan, even with a family tree that already looms large in Ann Arbor. The true freshman is a Michigan native, and his path to campus got there only after a change of plans.
He originally intended to sign with Miami (OH), then flipped to the Wolverines in November 2025, less than a year before arriving at Michigan. 247Sports.com listed him as a four-star recruit.
The Carr name means something around Michigan football for a reason. Both of Tommy Carr’s grandfathers are tied to the program’s history and have College Football Hall of Fame recognition.
Tom Curtis was an All-American safety for the Wolverines and still holds the school record for career interceptions with 25. He later had a successful NFL run and won Super Bowl 5 with the Baltimore Colts.
Lloyd Carr, meanwhile, is one of the most accomplished coaches in Michigan history. His signature season came in 1997, when he led the Wolverines to a 12-0 record and a Rose Bowl championship. Michigan finished that year ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25.
Now there’s real buzz in Ann Arbor about what the younger Carr might eventually become, especially with Underwood struggling and Michigan looking for better answers on offense. Even as a true freshman in 2026, he’s stepping into a moment where the opportunity is there.
Tommy Carr also has a prominent older brother in the sport. CJ Carr is currently regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in the country at Notre Dame, and the Fighting Irish enter Saturday night’s matchup with BYU at 6-0.
In Other News...
Michigan Just Reentered The Polls Conversation At A Brutal Time
Michigans win over Penn State was enough to get the Wolverines back into the conversation, even if not back into the rankings themselves. In the latest US LBM Coaches Poll, Michigan picked up 10 votes but remained on the outside looking in, a reminder that one solid result can at least reopen the door even when the season has already taken its share of bruises.
The timing, though, could hardly be more awkward. Ohio State surged to No. 2 after taking down Indiana, which slid to No. 6, while Miami stayed firmly at No. 1 at 6-0, leaving very little room for movement above Michigan. For the Wolverines, the Penn State win created momentum, but the path back into the poll still looks crowded and unforgiving. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans First Big Ten Win Just Sparked A Quarterback Debate
Michigans first Big Ten win under coach Kyle Whittingham came with a clear shift at halftime, when Tommy Carr took over at quarterback and the offense settled into a more reliable rhythm. The Wolverines leaned on the ground game from there, outrushing Penn State by a wide margin while three different backs reached the end zone on the ground and the defense kept setting the table with takeaways.
Bryce Underwoods rough afternoon, highlighted by two interceptions before the switch, turned the spotlight right back onto Michigans quarterback situation even after the win. The defense finished with three turnovers, including two from Chris Bracy, and the Wolverines turned those short fields into 21 points, but the larger question now is whether the change at quarterback becomes more than just a game-day adjustment. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Found Something In This Win Penn State Could Not Handle
Penn State left Ann Arbor with another damaging conference loss, and Michigans late quarterback change ended up shaping the final stretch of a 21-18 win. Bryce Underwood gave way to Tommy Carr, and the move immediately gave the Wolverines a different look as Carr steered two scoring drives in the third quarter, helping Michigan seize control of a game that had stayed tight deep into the second half.
Rocco Becht, meanwhile, could never quite settle in for the Nittany Lions, as turnovers kept stalling possessions and turning the pressure back on a team already reeling at 0-4 in Big Ten play. Even with the loss dropping Penn State to 3-4 overall, head coach Matt Campbell said Becht will keep the starting job moving forward, leaving the bigger question centered on how quickly the offense can find stability before the season slips further away. [Read more 🡒]