Kyle Whittingham Sends Strong Message About Tommy Carr

The Michigan Wolverines may have discovered something special in freshman quarterback Tommy Carr, and head coach Kyle Whittingham isn’t hiding his excitement. Following Michigan’s 21-18 comeback victory over Penn State on Saturday, Whittingham delivered some particularly strong praise for the young quarterback who replaced Bryce Underwood.

Carr entered the game to begin the second half after Underwood struggled through the first two quarters, completing just 5 of 11 passes for 43 yards and two interceptions. With Michigan trailing 3-0 at halftime, Carr helped spark an offense that had failed to score a single point through the first 30 minutes.

But according to Whittingham, what makes Carr special goes well beyond what he accomplished against Penn State. The Michigan coach believes the freshman’s preparation, work ethic, and rapid development have already earned him tremendous respect inside the Wolverines’ locker room.

“He responded very well,” Whittingham said. “It wasn’t perfect. There’s some things he obviously needs to get better at. But he had some key runs for us. That option there for that final touchdown. That was a great run.

“And a great job by him baiting the defense and making the pitch. He took care of the football. He had no turnovers in the second half. He did a nice job. He’s always prepared. I walk by that quarterback room 12 times, 15 times a day. He’s in there pretty much every second he doesn’t have class. He’s in there watching film.”

Oct 17, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Tommy Carr (14) leaves the field after the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

“Our team really respects his work ethic and how he prepares himself,” Whittingham said in comments shared by Clayton Sayfie. “I don’t want to make this sound like Bryce doesn’t do that. But Tommy for a true freshman has really come in and made exceptional strides.”

Whittingham also praised Carr’s ability to process information and earn the trust of his teammates. According to additional comments shared by Zach Shaw, the Michigan coach described Carr’s development as particularly impressive for a player in his first college season.

“Tommy, for a true freshman, has really made exceptional strides,” Whittingham said. “Players really like him, he’s a team guy. He got his chance and he made the most of it.”

Those comments are significant considering Carr’s sudden emergence as a legitimate candidate to become Michigan’s starting quarterback. As we reported earlier Saturday, the Wolverines made the switch after Underwood’s disappointing first-half performance.

Carr responded by completing 5 of 7 passes for 47 yards while adding 36 rushing yards and a touchdown. More importantly, Michigan scored all 21 of its points with the freshman running the offense, helping the Wolverines improve to 4-2.

Whittingham’s praise adds another intriguing element to Michigan’s quarterback situation heading into next Saturday’s showdown against Indiana. The Wolverines coach has not officially committed to Carr as his starter, but his comments suggest the freshman has made a strong impression.

The decision also comes after Carr received half of Michigan’s first-team practice repetitions during the bye week. As we previously highlighted, Underwood entered Saturday with an opportunity to quiet his critics, but the game ultimately belonged to Carr.

Michigan will have to decide whether Carr’s performance was enough to earn him the starting job moving forward. For now, however, Whittingham’s comments make one thing abundantly clear: Tommy Carr has earned the respect of his coaches and teammates, and his opportunity against Penn State was anything but wasted.