Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham isn’t backing down, doubling down on Bryce Underwood as his starting quarterback and Jason Beck calling plays. “Jason is calling plays and Bryce is our guy,” Whittingham declared Monday, but don’t let that fool you. There’s a ticking clock on this decision, especially with how shaky things have been under center.
The Turnover Nightmare
Talk about a rough start. Underwood, who came in as the nation’s No. 1 recruit after a shaky freshman year, has completely struggled to find any consistency, and the turnovers? Man, they’re killing this team. We’re talking three fumbles lost and four interceptions tossed, all with just five passing touchdowns. That’s a brutal ratio. Remember that ill-advised pass against the Hawkeyes at their 2-yard line? That pick cost them a chance to go up by two scores in a game they lost by a single point, after giving up a game-ending touchdown pass. And against the Golden Gophers, he threw two picks on back-to-back snaps. You just can’t make that stuff up. Whittingham might say Underwood is “our guy” for now, but he made sure to leave himself an out. Backup Tommy Carr was already taking snaps with the first-string during the bye week. Whittingham made his stance crystal clear: “If we don’t get this turnover thing fixed rapidly, then something’s got to give.” That’s not just coach-speak, that’s a warning shot fired right at his starting QB.
The Wolverines’ Downward Spiral
It’s not just Underwood, though he’s a big part of it. The Wolverines are straight up reeling, hitting 0-2 in conference play for the first time since 2014. This is a program that started the season at No. 16 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, only to fall out after a controversial win over Western Michigan. They clawed their way back in after beating then-No. 11 Oklahoma, but then slid right back out with losses to then-No. 17 Iowa and Minnesota. Their minus-4 turnover margin is an absolutely brutal No. 122 out of 138 teams in the entire Football Bowl Subdivision. “That’s pretty bad,” Whittingham admitted, and he’s not wrong. The offense isn’t doing them any favors either, putting up just 23 points a game, which ranks No. 101 nationally. And their rushing attack? A measly 135 yards per game, good for No. 98. It’s a stark contrast to last year when Whittingham, in his 21st season at Utah with Beck calling plays, saw his team ranked fifth in scoring with 41.2 points a game and second in rushing, churning out 266.3 yards on average. That’s a massive drop-off, and it shows.
This Saturday, Michigan (3-2, 0-2 Big) hosts a similarly struggling Penn State (3-3, 0-3). Both these programs are usually powerhouses, led by first-year coaches who are clearly feeling the heat. This game isn’t just about getting a conference win, it’s about survival. It’s about seeing if Bryce Underwood can finally turn things around, or if Whittingham’s “something’s got to give” promise means we’ll see Tommy Carr under center sooner rather than later. The pressure is on, big time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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