By The Michigan Wolverines had an opportunity to make a quarterback change Saturday night against Michigan State.
They chose not to.
And following Michigan’s humiliating 15-6 loss to the Spartans at the Big House, head coach Kyle Whittingham admitted that decision might have been a mistake.
With freshman quarterback Tommy Carr struggling to move the offense, Michigan’s coaching staff discussed bringing Bryce Underwood into the game late in the third quarter.
Instead, the Wolverines stuck with Carr.
Now, Whittingham is wondering whether they made the wrong call.
Kyle Whittingham Admits Michigan Considered Bryce Underwood
During his postgame press conference, Whittingham acknowledged that Michigan’s coaches seriously discussed making a quarterback switch.
“That was a conversation, whether or not Bryce should go in. That was late in the third quarter: should that switch be made?
“We just felt like it wasn’t going to be the answer if we would have done that. Now, in hindsight, maybe we should have done that.”
That’s a pretty significant admission from Michigan’s head coach.
And when you consider just how badly the Wolverines were struggling offensively, it’s difficult to understand why they didn’t at least give Underwood an opportunity.
According to the official game statistics, Michigan finished with just 192 total yards, 54 rushing yards, and four turnovers.
Carr completed 14 of 26 passes for 138 yards and two interceptions while being sacked five times.
The Wolverines didn’t score until 1:35 remained in the fourth quarter.
At some point, shouldn’t Michigan have tried something different?
Whittingham Reveals Why Michigan Stuck With Tommy Carr
Perhaps the most frustrating revelation came when Whittingham explained why the offensive staff preferred leaving Carr in the game.
“The offensive coaches thought to just stick with Tommy. I can’t give you any other reason other than that was the way they felt.
“Given the circumstances and the practice reps during the week and all that, the person who gave us the best chance to win at the time was still going to be Tommy, in their opinion.”
In other words, Michigan’s offensive coaches believed Carr remained their best option, even as the Wolverines continued struggling to move the football.
But Whittingham wasn’t about to completely distance himself from the decision.
“Ultimately, it’s my call. But I asked for their input, and they said, ‘No, we feel this,’ and I’ve got to respect that.”
He later clarified:
“It’s my call, but after getting input from the offensive coaches, they decided—we decided, I guess I should say—that we would just stick it out with Tommy.”
That last part is important.
The decision ultimately belonged to Kyle Whittingham.
As DSN previously reported when Underwood was benched against Penn State, Michigan’s offensive coaches also played a central role in that quarterback change.
The staff’s judgment produced a comeback victory that afternoon.
This time, sticking with its chosen starter resulted in no meaningful offensive turnaround.
Michigan’s Quarterback Problem Is Becoming Impossible to Ignore
Let’s be clear: There’s no guarantee Underwood would have rescued Michigan against the Spartans.
The offensive line struggled, the running game was ineffective, and the Wolverines had problems extending drives regardless of who was taking snaps.
But when your offense is completely lifeless, continuing with the same approach while hoping for different results is difficult to defend.
And Michigan fans have heard enough explanations about this offense.
As previously detailed following Whittingham’s criticism of Jason Beck, the Wolverines have been dealing with significant offensive problems for weeks.
Saturday wasn’t an isolated failure.
It was another example of a coaching staff struggling to find answers.
Whittingham acknowledged as much, explaining after the loss that the Wolverines have serious issues to address before their final three games.
The Bottom Line
Michigan lost at home to a Michigan State team that entered Saturday with a 2-6 record.
The Spartans didn’t score a single touchdown.
And somehow, the Wolverines still lost by nine points.
Now their head coach is publicly acknowledging that a quarterback switch might have been the better decision.
For a program with Michigan’s expectations, that’s an incredibly frustrating development.
Whittingham was right about one thing: The final decision was his.
And after watching Michigan’s offense stumble through another embarrassing performance, he has every reason to question it.
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/kyle-whittingham-admits-costly-bryce-164715531.html
