Michigan fans came away from the 21-18 win over Penn State with a little more hope, and Tommy Carr had a lot to do with that. The freshman came off the bench and gave the Wolverines a spark, but his first start is about to bring a much harsher test: Indiana.
That’s a rough draw for a young quarterback for a couple of reasons, starting with what the Hoosiers do best. Indiana is giving up only 75 rushing yards per game and 2.3 yards per rushing attempt, which makes this a tricky matchup if Michigan can’t get its ground game rolling. The Wolverines were much better on the ground against Penn State, rushing for 175 yards after managing just 36 in the first half, but Indiana’s front has been stingy all season and has allowed only 528 rushing yards.
Carr’s legs could help Michigan keep defenses honest. He ran for 36 yards and a touchdown last week, and that ability gives the Wolverines another way to create movement when the pocket tightens. But if Indiana forces Michigan into obvious passing situations, the pressure will stack up fast.
And it’s not just the run defense. Indiana has 24 sacks in seven games, and the Hoosiers have been just as effective in the secondary.
They’re allowing opponents to complete 59 percent of their passes for 199 yards per game, with only five touchdown passes allowed and six interceptions. That’s a big reason their scoring defense ranks fourth nationally at 12.9 points per game allowed.
Indiana also gives up only 6.6 yards per pass attempt, nearly a full yard more than Michigan football allows at 5.8, while the Wolverines are yielding 2.7 yards per rushing attempt. Both defenses are strong, though the Indiana offense has the advantage, even if Michigan does have two NFL-caliber receivers just like the Hoosiers do.
The concern for Carr is that Indiana will not hand him easy throws. Bryant Haines likes to use simulated pressures to mess with the quarterback and the timing of the offense, and even when he brings pressure, it’s usually just four or five rushers. That kind of setup is built to bait young passers into bad decisions.
If Michigan is going to pull the upset, Carr has to stay patient, handle those traps, and make plays with his feet when he needs to. He’ll also need to lean more heavily on JJ Buchanan and Andrew Marsh.
If the Wolverines can protect him, there should be chances there. The bigger question is whether Carr can find them before Indiana’s defense closes the door.
In Other News...
Michigan Suddenly Has New Injury Questions Ahead Of Indiana
Michigan is heading into its Week 8 matchup with Indiana carrying a few more health questions than it would like this late in the week. Right tackle Andrew Sprague has already been sidelined since Week 3, and the latest injury report also includes Brady Norton and Blake Frazier as questionable, adding more uncertainty to a position group that has already been juggling availability.
The other new names are Enow Etta and Rod Moore, though Moores issue is not expected to be serious. Even so, the timing is less than ideal for a Michigan team trying to get settled before facing an Indiana squad that enters the week without anyone on its own injury report. For the Wolverines, the bigger concern now is not just who is available, but how many moving parts they can afford to manage. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan's Defensive Front Has A Huge Chance To Flip Indiana Game
Larry Black knows this matchup from both sides of the line. The Michigan defensive tackles coach spent part of his playing career at Indiana, and he still remembers the 2010 meeting when he lined up against his brother Jibreel Black, who was then at Michigan. Now hes helping shape a Wolverines front that could be central to how this one plays out, especially with both teams bringing enough defensive punch to make every possession feel important.
Turnovers may be the biggest swing factor, and Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham has stressed the margin for error there. Black, for his part, sounds eager for the chance to see his group make an imprint against his old program, with the interior defense in position to affect the game in a way that goes beyond the usual box score. For Michigan, the path to controlling Indiana may start with the line of scrimmage, where Blacks background gives this game a little extra edge. [Read more 🡒]
Urban Meyer Sees One Important Thing In Michigan's QB Switch
Michigans quarterback switch at halftime against Penn State was less about making a statement than finding a way to get the offense moving. Bryce Underwood gave way to Tommy Carr after the Wolverines struggled to establish rhythm, and the change gave the staff a fresh look without forcing a wholesale rework of what they wanted to run.
Urban Meyer pointed to one important part of the move: Carrs skill set is close enough to Underwoods that Michigan could keep leaning on the same run-pass menu. That showed up in the second half, when Carr was able to operate the offense on RPOs and quarterback counters and finish a speed option play in the end zone, the kind of continuity coaches hope for when they turn to a backup in the middle of a game. [Read more 🡒]