The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545685
QUARTERBACKS 48 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW Carr Is Running Just Fine Carr's spring game effort wasn't a one-hit wonder, by any means. Whit- tingham began speaking highly of him in the early part of spring practice, noting he'd earned the No. 2 slot among Michi- gan quarterbacks. The Saline High graduate threw for 5,247 yards and 64 touchdowns in two seasons as that school's starting quar- terback, succeeding older brother CJ Carr, now the starting quarterback at Notre Dame. In addition to having the U-M connection through Lloyd Carr, the freshman is also the grandson of Michi- gan two-time All-American Tom Cur- tis and the son of Jason Carr, a Michi- gan quarterback from 1992-95. So, the young Carr's poise in this setting isn't any shocker. "Tommy Carr is doing a nice job. … Tommy has looked like he's got a good skill set," Whittingham commented in his first spring meeting with the press." Asked in a subsequent press confer- ence about Michigan players making the biggest strides this spring, Carr's name rolled off Whittingham's lips first. "I would say Tommy Carr has been a pleasant surprise for us," Whittingham said. "He's really progressed throughout spring. And emerged as, at least for right now, the No. 2 guy. There'll be more com- petition going forward in fall camp. But if we had to play tomorrow, he'd be the No. 2 guy." Herbstreit threw for 3,982 yards and 32 touchdowns in 33 prep games with St. Xavier High in Cincinnati, but did not make an appearance in a Michigan game last year. Like all the other freshmen com- ing in for the 2025 season, he needed to quickly shift gears when the new coach- ing staff came on at the end of the season. For Michigan's 2025 Scout Team Player of the Year on offense, the change has been a positive, via Whittingham. "What I've noticed is he's trying to bring that old-school Michigan, just hard football, back into the culture," Herb- streit told Champ Media's "The Team." "And I feel like he's doing a pretty good job. He wants the team to be player-led. He wants the players to lead stuff and not the coaches. "And I think when you have players leading the team, you'll be more success- ful than coaches trying to drag you out and do work that you don't want to. "I definitely want a team bond. I feel like last year, we were a pretty good team, but there were definitely moments where guys could be kind of selfish and more about themselves. Coach Whitt's doing a better job of making it team, team, team for sure." This team will add Brady Smigiel, from Newbury Park High in Thousand Oaks, Calif., to the freshman crew this year as well. The four-year starter threw for 13,695 yards and 162 touchdowns for his prep squad, accounting for 185 TDs over- all. But, on Sept. 5, all eyes from a crowd of more than 110,000 will be trained on No. 19, to see the first steps of a hoped- for leap by the Wolverines. "Bryce's ceiling … it's tough to mea- sure," Whittingham said. "It's up there. It's way up there. He was thrust into a starting role last year. He had just barely turned 18 years old when he was the starting quarterback at a big-time Power Four school. I thought he performed pretty good, given the circumstances. There's some things he needs to refine in his game. He knows that, and we've been working on it. "He's got two real dedicated quarter- back coaches, Koy Detmer, who does nothing but spend time with the quar- terback and coach him. And then Jason Beck is a masterful quarterback coach as well. He supplements what Koy's doing. And we're seeing progress. "If Bryce can get everything smoothed out and get the deficiencies that he had fixed, the sky's the limit for that young man." ❑ STARTER ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ½ Sophomore Bryce Underwood features all the physical tools — strong arm, rugged stature, and the ability to run. He delivered plenty as a true freshman starter, completing more than 60 percent of his passes and helping the Wolverines win nine games. He struggled more against Michigan's toughest opponents (not surprisingly), and this year's schedule is packed with College Football Playoff possibles. With a new staff and dedicated quarterbacks coach, he's looking to take a big step forward against the fiercest competition, and could well be called upon to use his legs as an even greater weapon in offensive coordinator Jason Beck's scheme. DEPTH ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Michigan featured no experienced depth in its spring game this year, but that's about to change. Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, with nearly 7,000 passing yards at Colorado State, joins the team this summer. Meanwhile, early entry true freshman Tommy Carr looked impressive in the spring game, and sophomore Chase Herbstreit returns for a second season in maize and blue. Fresh- man Brady Smigiel will also add depth to the QB room while continuing to recover from an ACL tear that ended his senior prep season last fall. So, there's talent, but beyond Fowler-Nicolosi, it's untested at this level. OVERALL ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ½ Several observers note the continued development of Underwood between now and Septem- ber holds the key to making Michigan go this season. He's in good hands with Beck and QB coach Koy Detmer Jr., but Oklahoma, Indiana, Oregon, Ohio State and others will provide the true test. PRESEASON ANALYSIS Carr, a freshman whose Michigan bloodlines are impeccable, passed for 5,247 yards and 64 touchdowns in two seasons as the starter at nearby Saline (Mich.) High. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL