It’s time to welcome the Tommy Carr era for the Michigan Wolverines. It’s also time to talk honestly about how we got here, and what comes next for Bryce Underwood.

Carr entered at halftime against the Penn State Nittany Lions after the Michigan offense put up zero points in the first half, continuing the struggle that has hung over this unit. Carr was by no means perfect. But he put up enough points to secure a three-point win over Penn State. His debut arrived with cheers from a fan base that felt like it was watching the final chapter of Underwood’s time at Michigan finally close.

Was this anticipated? Lately, sure. But that is not how this story was supposed to go.

Bryce Underwood was supposed to be the best ever

I remember exactly where I was when Underwood flipped from LSU to Michigan. The expectation was that he would become the best quarterback in Michigan history. He was viewed as a Cam Newton type of talent. He had the kind of arm talent you wish any quarterback could have, paired with size and mobility that jumped off the screen coming out of high school.

I’m not going to rewrite history here. I know the “generational” tag gets thrown around way too much. But for a high school prospect, Underwood was about as close to generational as it gets.

So who’s to blame? I’ll keep it short and sweet. The previous Michigan staff failed him. The current staff felt obligated to start him, and it turned into an oil-and-water situation. But the truth is, the blame falls on his shoulders.

Plenty of reports have stated there is a sense of arrogance with Underwood, and his public-facing communication throughout the offseason reflected that. And you may say, Tegan, maybe he just didn’t fit the scheme. I struggle to see that.

Jason Beck has gotten the most out of mobile quarterbacks for years. And those reports that Carr had outplayed Underwood seemingly were far from false.

Tommy Carr can bring stability to Michigan’s offense

Carr brings a sense of stability, and that alone counts for a lot after what this offense has looked like. If you’re a Wolverines fan, you just want to know one thing. Is this somebody you want to build around? That question carries real weight.

I’ve believed for weeks that Devon Dampier could very likely become a Wolverine with his extra year of eligibility, contingent on Kyle Whittingham still being the head coach. So Carr isn’t just auditioning for the rest of this season. He’s auditioning against whatever Michigan might do at quarterback next.

Now, I don’t want this to turn into doom and gloom. You beat Penn State. You’re breaking in the quarterback a lot of Michigan fans had been waiting for. There are still a ton of questions surrounding this program, and nobody should pretend otherwise. But Michigan has some really good core pieces to be excited about. And frankly, Michigan is closer than a lot of people want to admit.

Now, with Underwood removed from the picture and more than likely headed to the transfer portal, this can be a new step for Michigan football. Carr doesn’t have to be a savior. He just has to be steady, and steady is exactly what the Wolverines have been missing. That is something to be excited about.