Tommy Carr has given Michigan enough to keep the job, but the Wolverines are still waiting on the full version of him.
After being named the starter for the second straight week, Carr’s grip on the position looks stronger than it did a week ago. His first start came against Indiana, a performance that can’t be judged too harshly given that defense. Rutgers offered a cleaner test, and Carr answered it with a much steadier showing.
The true freshman finished 22-for-27 for 266 yards and a touchdown, and he did it while dealing with the flu all week and likely into the game itself. He looked settled in the pocket and, just as importantly, protected the ball. That part of his game stood out.
Carr also made a real impact with his legs. He ran 12 times for 54 yards and scored two key touchdowns, and those scores ended up being the difference for Michigan’s offense as the team struggled in the red zone.
Still, the flaws were obvious. The long ball remains the issue. Carr has shown he can work through his progressions and take the checkdown, something Bryce Underwood struggled with, but when he tried to push the ball downfield, he repeatedly left his receivers waiting on it.
That mattered because Michigan finally has the kind of speed at receiver to threaten defenses vertically. Andrew Marsh and JJ Buchanan can stretch the field, and Marsh in particular created separation from Rutgers defenders more than once.
The problem was the delivery. When Marsh broke free and Carr spotted him, the throws often came up short, forcing Marsh to slow down and giving defenders time to recover.
On both of those plays, the defender had to commit to preventing the catch, and both ended in pass interference. If Carr had put the ball on target, Michigan would have had at least two more touchdowns.
That part of his game is going to take time. Carr is still new to being the consistent starter, and building timing with his receivers is part of the process. The more reps he gets, the better that connection should become.
The gap between the Indiana game and the Rutgers game showed how much Carr can still grow. The defenses were different, sure, but the contrast was clear. Right now, this feels like Carr’s job to lose, and if he wants to keep it, the improvement has to keep coming every week.
In Other News...
Michigan AD Search Just Got More Serious For Two Major Programs
The search for Warde Manuels replacement is no longer just a formality in Ann Arbor. Michigan has brought in TurnkeyZRG to help lead the process, and the university is paying $250,000 for the search as it works toward finding the next athletic director before Manuels planned departure. The hire will ultimately be made by the university president and Board of Regents, a reminder that this decision carries weight well beyond the athletic department.
It is a pivotal moment because the new AD will inherit two of the schools biggest pressure points: football and basketball. Both programs are being watched closely, and the coaching contracts in place already include performance benchmarks that add another layer to the job. Whoever gets the seat will step into a role where expectations are high and the margin for error is thin. [Read more 🡒]
Former Wolverine Suddenly Faces A Brutal Lions Setback
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For former Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder, the news was far less forgiving. He is out for the rest of the season after suffering a significant injury that will require surgery, a tough setback for a player trying to keep his momentum going at the next level. It leaves another Wolverines alum facing the hard reality of how quickly a promising year can change, and it adds another layer of concern to a Lions injury picture that is still very much in flux. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Escaped Rutgers But One Wolverines Problem Is Getting Harder To Ignore
Michigan got out of Rutgers with a win, but the way it got there only sharpened the concern around an offense that should have had more room to work. Rutgers came in with a weak rush defense, yet the Wolverines managed just 3.6 yards per carry, their worst showing against the Scarlet Knights this season, and the lack of efficiency made the whole operation feel tighter than it should have been. The defense did enough to keep Rutgers from stringing together many completions, but a couple of big plays still accounted for a lot of the damage and kept the game uncomfortable deep into the day.
The bigger issue is that this was not an isolated escape. Michigan has been living in close games, and coach Kyle Whittingham pointed to that pattern after another narrow result. When the defense is doing enough to keep the team in front and the ground game still cannot separate from an opponent with a vulnerable front, the margin for error gets thin fast. Add in the ongoing issues around scoring and kicking, and the Wolverines are left with a problem that is becoming harder to brush aside. [Read more 🡒]