Even though Michigan football head coach Kyle Whittingham said that he wasn't going to announce a starting quarterback for this week's game against Indiana, one was reported anyway.
Citing sources, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reports that Carr will indeed be the starting quarterback for Michigan football against Indiana.
Michigan is currently expected to make a change at quarterback and is currently expected to start freshman Tommy Carr at QB against No. 6 Indiana on Saturday, sources tell @CBSSports pic.twitter.com/TqHvfCdoPL
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) October 20, 2026
This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. It was expected that Carr would get the nod against the defending national champions. Here are three takeaways.
The Tommy Carr era has begun
Carr didn't light the world on fire last week, but with an exceptional defense, and what can be a strong running game, he doesn't have to be. Carr needs to hit the layups in the passing game that Bryce Underwood missed. He needs to make the correct reads (most of the time) and protect the ball.
The Wolverines shouldn't ask him to throw for 300 yards a game. He's got two NFL wide receivers to throw the ball to, so that should help with his development.
It will be interesting to see what happens over the next six games. If Carr is winning games, playing well, and moving the offense efficiently, he could lock down the starting job for next season. He went from backup to quarterback of the future in just one week, assuming he looks the part.
Indiana will prepare for Carr. We'll see how that impacts his production this week, although the Wolverines can also design their own game plan specific to Carr.
Bryce Underwood's next start won't be for Michigan
I wouldn't surprised if we saw Underwood on the field for the Wolverines again this season, but unless Carr gets hurt or really struggles, it's hard to see Underwood starting again.
A package with a few plays seems like a good idea. This offense had over 200 yards in the second half against Penn State. If that's a sign of things to come under Carr, sign me up. It feels like the Wolverines could use a trick play or two, and maybe Underwood in a Tim Tebow-like package could get him comfortable again, while sparking the offense.
Either way, it feels like the Underwood era is over. He could stay and compete for the job, but it feels like with all the pressure in Ann Arbor, a fresh start would benefit both sides.
The running game is more important than either QB
Carr played fine in the second half against Penn State. He didn't lose the game, made solid decisions, and protected the ball.
That being said, Michigan scored 14 points off turnovers on drives that started at the Penn State 42 and the Penn State 13. Carr engineered an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. There were also four drives that ended with a punt after one first down or less (two 3-and-outs).
Carr being on the field might have caused the defense to play softer. Mostly, it was about Jason Beck calling some of the run-game staff that worked last season, to the tune of 210 yards per game and 5.4 yards per rushing attempt.
Carr did beat a blitz for 22 yards. I'm not sure Underwood could have made that decision as quickly, or completed an accurate ball under pressure. The defense had to start playing normal defense. That, plus the familiar runs, helped the offensive line get rolling, which was the biggest key for the offense in the second half (175 rushing yards).
Michigan will need Carr to play well. Whittingham essentially said taking care of the ball is the most important thing. Carr can do that. We'll see how much more he can do, but if the running game doesn't consistently produce, the offense won't magically become good with a freshman quarterback.
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