Who Plays QB If U-M Benches Bryce Underwood?
A savvy vet, Lloyd Carr's grandson, and Kirk Herbstreit's son fill out the Wolverine QB room
After week one of the college football season, Michigan fans were calling for Bryce Underwood’s head and calling him Bryce Underthrow.
After week two of the college football season, Michigan fans are praising the Wolverine quarterback.
To everyone that bleeds maize and blue on Saturdays in the fall, my message is this: Keep a cool head.
Yes, Underwood made up for his abysmal performance against Western Michigan with better decision making. He used his athleticism well in an incredible 17-10 upset victory over the Oklahoma Sooners.
But that doesn’t mean Underwood is the key to Michigan’s future. Michigan Head Coach Kyle Whittingham still has a lot of talent in his quarterback room that has yet to be tested.
Underwood has four quarterbacks below him on the depth chart. The first is U-M Royalty. Tommy Carr played high school football 10 miles south of Ann Arbor for the Saline Hornets, and was committed to play ball for the Miami University Redhawks until November 2025. Carr’s grandfather Lloyd led the Wolverines to a national championship victory in 1997, and his brother C.J. is the starting QB at Notre Dame, a championship contender.
Right behind Carr is Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, who spent four years at Colorado State before transferring to Ann Arbor. His best season on the Rams came during 2023, which happened to be Michigan’s national championship season. Fowler-Nicolosi threw for over 3,400 yards that year with 22 touchdowns, finishing the year 5-6.
Following Fowler-Nicolosi is perhaps the most interesting figure in the Wolverine QB room: Chase Herbstreit. After not being recruited by his father Kirk’s alma mater, Ohio State, Chase has yet to see action while wearing the maize and blue.
In high school, Herbstreit played for the St. Xavier Bombers, one of the premier high school football programs in Cincinnati. Kirk, who is best known for his 30 years on the desk of ESPN’s College Gameday, was a four-year quarterback for the Buckeyes.
The best option outside of Underwood is Carr, who is currently slated in the backup spot. A lefty, Carr showed out in the spring game, completing 21 of 30 pass attempts for 143 yards. If Carr were to start splitting drives with Underwood, it could be reminiscent of the 2021 QB duo of Cade McNamara and J.J McCarthy, who led the Wolverines to their first victory against Ohio State in eight years.
