True freshman Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr had one of the best spring games from a quarterback in recent memory, and certainly since I’ve been covering the program (2016).
Carr showed poise, athleticism as a runner, good footwork, solid mechanics, and consistently accurate throws. In all, Carr was 21-for-30 passing for 143 passing yards with 59 rushing yards.
Sophomore starting quarterback Bryce Underwood was 3-of-9 for 22 yards in the spring game. And while calling things between Underwood and
Carr would be a stretch, there’s no denying that Carr has what it takes to push Underwood hard. If iron sharpens iron, Carr and Underwood are going to bring the best out in each other.
Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham is in his first year on the job, and he has a fresh perspective about every player on Michigan’s roster, including Carr and Underwood. Whittingham spoke glowingly of Carr after the spring game, and his comments were eerily reminiscent of how Jim Harbaugh would talk about McCarthy during his freshman campaign. Here’s a look.
Whittingham on Carr
– “Tommy has really made strides and just really has a great pocket presence and escapability. He can extend plays, keeps his eyes downfield. All the things that you look for in a big-time quarterback, I believe Tommy possesses.“
– “He’s got that it factor for a quarterback. That confidence, that field general mentality. The way he carries himself. He’s a football junkie. I’m in the facility at 10 at night and I walk by the quarterback room and there’s Tommy Carr watching film all by himself in the film room. He is completely just immersed in his development as far as trying to get better and doing everything he can to perfect his craft. And that’s really what you want to see in a quarterback. And he’s a leader by nature and by virtue of the position.”
Harbaugh on McCarthy
– “Talking about guys that have it, the it factor. He kind of wows me at walkthrough, just the way he bounces around and the enthusiasm he has for playing. Like a like a kid in a candy store, it’s fun to be around.”
– “Very athletic. Throws it extremely well. Plays with a lot of energy. He’s really good. Got that it factor. You know, when you step into a huddle, how important that is for the quarterback to have that. The confidence, the energy. Also, a guy that makes a lot of good decisions and plays really good. Competes, gives it everything he has. All necessary qualities for a quarterback.”
McCarthy would go on to lead Michigan to a national championship during the 2023 season and amass a 27-1 record as a starter. When a quarterback has the it factor, it’s hard for a coach to keep them off the field forever. Carr, 6-foot-4 and 185 pounds, still has a lot to learn and has been with the Michigan program just a couple of months, but Whittingham clearly believes in the young gunslinger. Whittingham’s thoughts on Carr go beyond coach speak; they’re a genuine belief in a young player. It worked out when Harbaugh believed in McCarthy. Could a Whittingham and Carr partnership also reap big rewards somewhere down the line?
