By admin 
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Bryce Underwood remains Michigan’s quarterback and Jason Beck the team’s offensive coordinator as the limping Wolverines, coming off a bye after back-to-back Big Ten losses, prepare for Penn State.
Read more Kyler Murray and Justin Jefferson Finally Show How Dangerous the Vikings Can Be
Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham, in his first year with the program, after the loss to Minnesota on Oct. 3 called this season – the Wolverines are 3-2, 0-2 Big Ten – “maybe the biggest challenge I’ve had” in 40-plus years of coaching. But he also said while he would evaluate the players and coaches, this wasn’t a time to panic.
That said, the only major change he’s seeking as the Wolverines press forward with seven remaining regular-season games is in terms of fixing the turnover margin and protecting the ball. The Rhino package, utilizing an extra lineman and a big part of Beck’s offense, will continue, Whittingham said.
“Jason will call plays and Bryce is our guy and we move forward,” Whittingham said Monday, Oct.12 at his weekly news conference. “All positive but continuing to stress to everybody about the importance of taking care of the ball. And with (Underwood) touching the ball every single snap, he’s a big part of that. If we don’t get this turnover thing fixed rapidly, then something’s got to give.”
Underwood had two interceptions on back-to-back throws against Minnesota, and the Wolverines also had a fumble on punt return, which will see a change from Andrew Marsh this weekend against Penn State. Michigan is minus-4 in turnover margin, among the nation’s worst, and had four interceptions and five fumbles.
Backup quarterback Tommy Carr took half the snaps with the first team last week, but Whittingham said that was by design as the second-teamers got more work during a bye week. Whittingham did not rule out giving Carr a series or inserting him in games as a changeup to Underwood.
“To be determined,” Whittingham said. “He sure looks good in practice like he has throughout spring and fall camp. And his small, tiny sample size that he had in the (UTEP) game was positive. But right now, like I said, Bryce is our guy, and if we think that giving Tommy a series or two helps our chance to win, then you will see that.”
Who you won’t see returning punts is Marsh, who has twice muffed punt returns this season, but Whittingham said there is an injury component to this decision.
“We’ll have a different returner back there, and that’s due to a couple of reasons, not just putting the ball on the ground, but some injury reasons,” Whittingham said. “And so we will have a different returner – I won’t say who that is yet – returning punts this week.”
There were calls for Underwood’s benching from college football pundits, but Whittingham said he remains Michigan’s best option at quarterback.
“(He’s) 6-4, 230 runs like he wind, cannon arm, can make every throw and then some,” Whittingham said when asked why Underwood still has the job. “Has a whole year of experience (2025 season through five games this year) under his belt and so that being the case and looking at the room as a whole, we feel at this point he still gives us the best chance to win.”
Injury updates
A potential return for right tackle Andrew Sprague is “way out there if he comes back”, Whittingham said, but it’s possible Andrew Babalola will soon return.
Sprague started the first two games but has been sidelined because of an undisclosed injury.
Read more Dolphins Snap-Count Story: What the Workload Revealed
“I am perplexed, and so is he, I think,” Whittingham said. “There’s a lot that goes into it. Several opinions, differing opinions and I guess now the opinions have dovetailed a little bit and kinda settled in a place where everyone’s in agreement.
“Doesn’t change the fact he’s not available or won’t be available for several weeks. But at least we feel now that maybe they’ve got some agreement on it. We sure miss him. He’s a really good football player.”
Babalola, a tackle who missed his freshman season last year because of a torn knee ligament suffered in preseason camp, has not played this season but will begin practicing this week.
“Which will be the first time in, what, a month?” Whittingham said. “It’s been a big disappointment for us because we’re really counting on him. He was cleared to play way back when, (then) he had a setback and then another setback. Hopefully, knock on wood, if we can keep him on the field, then he’ll definitely have a chance to help us.”
Whittingham said the plan is to give Babalola more reps each day in practice to determine if he can play against Penn State.
“It would really help us if he can, because we’re really thin there,” Whittingham said, “and I’ve got some other guys dinged up in the Minnesota game that will be questionable.”
Marshall talk
Tight end Zack Marshall last week apologized on social media for leaked text messages in which he criticized Michigan offensive coordinator Jason Beck.
“Zach was very apologetic,” Whittingham said. “It was an unfortunate deal. Zach Marshall’s a great young man. He’s a team guy. It was just a lapse in judgment or an error in judgment, and he apologized profusely to myself and the team. And so we’ll just move on.”
Marshall apologized for “inappropriate comments” he made in texts from a group chat. Screenshots of Marshall’s comments were leaked on social media. He seemed to question Beck’s scheme that shared that Beck told the tight ends they’re not valuable to the offense.
Whittingham said a reaction like Marshall’s after two-straight losses is not uncommon among players.
“People get frustrated,” Whittingham said. “You lose a couple games and people get frustrated. It doesn’t matter that it was in a small group chat, but it was a small, closed circle he thought, but that’s beside the point. The point is you’ve got to protect the team, and that wasn’t protecting the team in that regard.”
Read more Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard inches closer to returning by taking part in full-contact practice
____
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published October 12, 2026 at 2:25 PM.