When Kyle Whittingham decided to make the change at quarterback against Penn State, it made sense.
Bryce Underwood wasn't seeing the field. It felt like he just needed a break. Sometimes, for a young quarterback, watching can be a good thing.
It helps if you have a veteran. Michigan doesn't. It turned to Tommy Carr. The Wolverines rallied to beat Penn State (21-18), but in the first half against Indiana, Carr looked just as bad as Underwood has looked at any point this season.
Carr was better in the second half. He did all of the same things Bryce did, though. He missed reads in the running game. He didn't throw the ball when wide receivers were open. The freshman made two critical mistakes in the first half, throwing a pitch when he should have eaten it.
That gave Indiana three points. Carr did the same thing when he threw the ball into traffic. It got intercepted and the Hoosiers converted another turnover into a field goal.
Carr doesn't have the arm or athleticism of Underwood. He also didn't seem to have more poise or better decision-making. The Wolverines didn't take many shots down field, and when I watch the last play, I feel like that's a pass Underwood completes.
Maybe sitting for the past 1.5 games, outside of a few plays on Saturday, allowed him to take a breath. Michigan plays at Rutgers, then at home against Michigan State. Whittingham hasn't named a starter for the Rutgers game.
Who should Michigan start at quarterback?
It seems like these next two games should be guaranteed wins. Yet, with the way the offense has played, nothing feels like a guarantee. It feels like Michigan could win both of these games 17-6. Whatever. As long as they come out on top.
Then you have three games against Oregon, UCLA, and Ohio State. At least at 6-3, there might be something to play for at that point. This offense just needs to have a pulse. If it does, and the defense plays the way it did on Saturday, Michigan could win every game on the schedule.
The quarterback who probably gives Michigan football the best chance to do that is Underwood. Carr wasn't much different, and if Underwood could get back to playing good football, maybe there would be a chance to salvage his career in Ann Arbor.
The other option is playing Carr. It's not a bad choice at all. If the freshman plays like he did in the second half of the Penn State and Indiana games, the offense could be functional.
Most run defenses won't be as good as Indiana, although Oregon, UCLA and Ohio State are better than most.
With Jason Beck still calling the plays, after Whittingham said Monday that he's not going to panic and make any staff changes, it might not even matter.
Offensive coordinators are supposed to make their players better. They are supposed to put them in a position to succeed, which just isn't happening.
Beck hasn't done that this season. Not with the quarterbacks, not with the running backs, and not the offensive line. So will it really matter who starts under center on Saturday?
Probably not.
So with everything invested in Underwood and his clear natural ability, it might behoove Whittingham to give him one last shot.
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