ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Watching Saturday’s spring game, it was easy to forget how much things have changed at Michigan.
The scrimmage inside Michigan Stadium could have passed for any spring game in recent memory, with points at a premium and defense ruling the day. Quarterback Bryce Underwood was 3-for-9 passing for 22 yards in a quarter of work, and neither squad scored a touchdown until running back Tomas O’Meara plunged into the end zone with 17 seconds remaining to give the Maize squad a 7-6 victory.
One scrimmage doesn’t show the extent of Michigan’s transformation under coach Kyle Whittingham. Most of the work so far has been beneath the surface, in the parts of the program that aren’t on display. The changes should be more apparent when the Wolverines return to Michigan Stadium for their Sept. 5 season opener against Western Michigan.
“We’re not where we need to be ultimately,” Whittingham said, “but I think we’re on track.”
Here are five takeaways from Saturday’s scrimmage.
Freshman quarterback Tommy Carr had a poised game Saturday, showing promising depth at the position for Michigan. (Junfu Han / Imagn Images)
Arrow pointing up for Carr
There’s no quarterback controversy at Michigan. Underwood is Michigan’s starter, and Whittingham reiterated as much in Saturday’s scrimmage. But freshman Tommy Carr had the best day of the three quarterbacks who played and showed why Whittingham has singled him out for praise since he arrived on campus.
“Bryce is our starter right now, and that’s not any different after today,” Whittingham said, “but Tommy has really made strides and really has a great pocket presence and escapability. He can extend plays, keeps his eyes downfield. All the things you look for in a big-time quarterback, Tommy possesses those.”
Carr completed 21 of 30 passes for 143 yards, showing the accuracy and the crisp decision-making that caught Whittingham’s attention this spring. He’s more athletic than advertised at 6 feet 4 and 185 pounds and showed the ability to tuck the ball and run when the defense gave him a lane.
The Wolverines expect to add a veteran QB over the summer in Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, who threw for nearly 7,000 yards at Colorado State. His experience would make him the logical choice as Underwood’s backup, but Carr has done enough this spring to make that a competition.
Whittingham described Carr as a pleasant surprise but added that his play isn’t so surprising based on everything Michigan knew about him. Carr, who was committed to Miami (Ohio) before switching to Michigan, hasn’t surprised himself with how quickly he’s acclimated.
“I knew I’m a good football player,” Carr said. “I had no doubts of myself and my abilities.”
‘No panic’ for the offense
Underwood didn’t look noticeably different from the last time Michigan fans saw him. He had one impressive throw, threading a needle to tight end Eli Owens for a 16-yard gain. He also overthrew a pair of deep balls, made some risky throws over the middle into traffic and fled the pocket on a few occasions.
It didn’t show up in his stats, but Whittingham said Underwood made progress with his footwork and decision-making this spring. He’ll need to keep that going through the rest of the offseason to make the kind of second-year leap Michigan envisions for him.
“There’s some things that may not be noticeable to the general populace with his footwork, his pocket presence,” Whittingham said. “He’s improved in all areas. He still has work to do. He knows that and we know that, but he’s ahead of where he was last season.”
Whittingham noted that Utah’s offense went through a similar transition last year in its first season with offensive coordinator Jason Beck. The Utes also had some rough patches in the spring but finished No. 4 in the FBS in total offense.
“I’d say we’re right on par with where we need to be relative to what happened last year,” Whittingham said. “No panic at all. We feel like we’re heading in the right direction.”
D-line might be Michigan’s strength
One of Michigan’s most encouraging developments this spring was the depth that emerged on the defensive front, which lost quite a bit of star power in recent years. Defensive end Cameron Brandt looks more explosive after dropping weight from last season, Whittingham said, and Dominic Nichols has positioned himself for a breakout season.
“He’s a guy that I think has a chance to be all-Big Ten before he’s finished here,” Whittingham said. “It’s up to him how good he can be.”
Deyvid Palepale continues to make his case to be part of the defensive tackle rotation, and second-year player Bobby Kanka did the same with an impressive goal-line stop on a fourth-and-1 play. Saturday was a strong day for a unit that expects to have All-American John Henry Daley back from injury in June.
“I feel like we’re going to be the tone-setters of the defense this year, getting to the quarterback, just affecting him,” defensive end Lugard Edokpayi said. “If the ball can’t even get to the DBs and they don’t have to cover for so long, there will be good energy everywhere.”
Freshman Savion Hiter stole the show Saturday and is expected to contribute to the Wolverines off the bat. (Junfu Han / Imagn Images)
Hiter is the complete package
There was no singular highlight for freshman Savion Hiter, but he looked the part of a Big Ten running back with 44 yards on 10 carries. He passed every test Michigan threw at him this spring, including blitz pickups and ball security.
“I thought Savion Hiter really showed that he’s an explosive back,” Whittingham said. “He didn’t really get loose out in the open, but he’s a powerful back that’s going to be a big factor for us this fall.”
Hiter said he came out of the spring at 218 pounds, up from 197 when he arrived at Michigan. The five-star freshman is more than just a power back — he cited Bijan Robinson as a player he’s often compared to — but he’s not afraid to lower his shoulder and plow through contact, as he showed on several carries Saturday.
“I used to be more of a juking guy, but I just want everybody to feel that I’m a physical runner,” Hiter said.
Jordan Marshall is Michigan’s No. 1 running back and looked sharp on five carries in the first quarter. Based on everything Whittingham said this spring, Hiter is going to be heavily involved as well. Those two should be one of the most rugged running back duos in the Big Ten.
Michigan is learning Whittingham’s way
Structure and discipline aren’t optional for Whittingham. More than anything, this spring was about establishing a new standard for a program that slipped in numerous areas during Sherrone Moore’s two-year tenure.
“Our mentality had to be different,” Hiter said. “We knew that he wasn’t going to deal with anything, any of the BS. We had to get on top of that.”
Players have talked about practices being quicker and more efficient, meetings starting a few minutes early and everyone being held accountable for their responsibilities. Those are things that don’t show up in a scrimmage, but they should make for a tougher, more disciplined team when the season arrives.
What Whittingham brought is not so much a wholesale change in identity but rather a return to the things that made Michigan successful for years. Much of Whittingham’s message will sound familiar, yet there’s a lot of newness, too. The transition isn’t something that happens in a single spring.
“We’ve come a long way in, what, three-and-a-half months?” Whittingham said. “We’re going to need every bit of preparation time we have before Sept. 5 when we line up and play.”