Michigan May Have to Bench Bryce Underwood Over Bad Fundamentals
A shaky opener left Michigan facing Oklahoma with a confused starter and a backup getting attention.
Pardon My Take · CFB Week 1 Chaos With Andy Staples, Western Michigan HC Lance Taylor, Who's Back Of The Week + Max Is Back From His Honeymoon With GiftsMichigan beat Western Michigan to open the season, but the win exposed a quarterback problem. Sophomore Bryce Underwood, who arrived with a reported $10 million deal, looked confused at times, with shaky mechanics and a bad interception before halftime.
National college football writer Andy Staples argues the problem is that Underwood's "physical talent got him out of every jam in high school," but college defenses require a quarterback to play within the scheme and keep his footwork and throwing mechanics consistent.
Sports commentator Dan Katz saw the same confusion on tape. He said Michigan looked sharpest on its opening scripted series, yet Underwood still appeared unsure and broke the wrong way on one snap. Katz also said "Western Michigan looked like the more physical team" and described Underwood's late first-half interception as an example of how lost he looked.
The stakes are a high-priced sophomore, a preseason playoff pick, and a first-year head coach. Katz argued before the season that without a major step forward from Underwood, Michigan was "closer to a 7-5 team than a playoff team." Staples, who had picked Michigan to make the playoff, joked about that miss: "I was on drugs."
Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham, hired after a long run at Utah, hedged when asked Monday about his starter, calling Underwood "QB one right now." Staples thinks Whittingham will simply go with whoever can win because he was not at Michigan when the school made the investment in Underwood, with freshman Tommy Carr, grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, as the possible alternative.
Michigan plays Oklahoma on Saturday in a difficult follow-up. Oklahoma is led by head coach Brent Venables, who calls the defensive plays and uses disguises meant to confuse quarterbacks and blockers. Iowa, Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State follow later in the season, leaving little time to fix reads, footwork and timing.
Questions people ask
Who is Tommy Carr and why would Michigan turn to him?
Carr is a freshman backup quarterback at Michigan, the grandson of former Michigan national championship coach Lloyd Carr and the younger brother of Notre Dame starter CJ Carr. Coaches and teammates have spoken positively about him since he arrived on campus, and his family history in the program makes him a natural alternative if Underwood keeps struggling.
Why is Oklahoma such a bad matchup for a confused quarterback?
Oklahoma is led by Brent Venables, a former star defensive coordinator who still calls the defense as head coach. His system uses shifting fronts, disguised coverages, and late movement to force quarterbacks to read quickly after the snap, which punishes passers who rely on arm strength instead of progression and timing.
Can Michigan really bench a $10 million quarterback?
Yes, though it is awkward and expensive. Most big name image and likeness deals are paid through collectives or outside groups, not directly from the school payroll, and benching does not cancel money already committed. Coaches have benched highly paid transfers before when winning demanded it.