Michigan will reopen the quarterback competition after firing offensive coordinator Jason Beck, coach Kyle Whittingham said on Monday. Freshman Tommy Carr started the past three games, including a 15-6 loss against Michigan State on Saturday.
Carr replaced former No. 1 recruit Bryce Underwood as starting quarterback after weeks of inconsistent play, finally taking the field to lead a win over Penn State. Carr went 1-2 as a starter, leading an overtime performance against Indiana and a win over Rutgers. He threw for 266 yards and scored three touchdowns in the win.
Just last week, Whittingham claimed that Carr would be the starting quarterback for the "foreseeable future" after he played well against Rutgers. But after the embarrassing loss against Michigan State, things quickly changed.
The loss was Michigan's first without allowing a touchdown since 1985. It also marked the first Big Ten victory for the struggling Spartans, who entered the matchup at 2-6. Carr threw for only 138 yards and two interceptions on 26 attempts, and Michigan was held scoreless until the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.
After paying more than $7 million in buyout money to Beck, Whittingham promoted offensive line coach Jim Harding to interim offensive coordinator. Underwood now has a chance to reclaim his starting quarterback job for the home stretch. The sophomore completed 58% of passes with five touchdowns and six interceptions before getting benched. Michigan ranks No. 132 in total offense, leading only Michigan State among Power Four teams.
