Monday Morning Quarterback: Tommy Carr Takes Major Step Forward In Michigan's Win Over Rutgers

It's becoming increasingly difficult to ignore what Tommy Carr is doing as Michigan's starting quarterback. Just one week after struggling to generate points against Indiana's elite defense, the true freshman bounced back with his most impressive performance yet, leading the Wolverines to a 28-21 victory over Rutgers in his first career road start.

And while Rutgers certainly isn't Indiana defensively, what Carr accomplished Saturday afternoon was still extremely encouraging.

Carr finished the afternoon completing 22 of his 27 pass attempts for 266 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. His 81% completion rate was particularly impressive, especially considering Michigan's offensive line continues to be a work in progress.

He also contributed significantly with his legs, rushing for 54 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries.

That's 320 total yards and three touchdowns from a freshman quarterback making just his second career start.

Not bad.

Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of Carr's performance was his ability to distribute the football. Nine different Wolverines caught passes, with JJ Buchanan leading the way with five receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown. Andrew Marsh added seven catches for 51 yards, while Hogan Hansen contributed three receptions for 42 yards.

Carr also connected with Salesi Moa for a 44-yard gain, for a rare explosive play for U-M's offense.

But his impact wasn't limited to throwing the football.

Carr scored on touchdown runs of 15 and nine yards in the second half, with the latter giving Michigan a 28-21 advantage with just over four minutes remaining. Both scores demonstrated the kind of athleticism and playmaking ability that could make him particularly dangerous as he continues developing.

Michigan's offensive line still has plenty of room for improvement, but Saturday's performance was a significant step forward for the entire unit.

After managing just 57 rushing yards against Indiana, Michigan finished with 161 against Rutgers. Savion Hiter contributed 76 yards on a career-high 20 carries, while Carr's mobility provided another dimension that defenses must account for.

The Wolverines also converted an impressive 12 of their 16 third-down opportunities, finished with 427 total yards and controlled possession for nearly 36 minutes.

Those numbers suggest an offense finally finding some rhythm.

Of course, Carr wasn't perfect. He underthrew Marsh on two separate occasions and Michigan still allowed two sacks, committed seven penalties for 90 yards and missed opportunities to put Rutgers away earlier. The Wolverines also needed a late defensive stand to preserve the victory.

But considering where Michigan's offense was just one week ago, this was an enormous improvement.

Carr looked more comfortable, more decisive and significantly more confident operating Jason Beck's offense.

Most importantly, he protected the football and consistently moved the chains.

There's still plenty for the freshman to learn, and tougher defensive challenges undoubtedly await. But Saturday provided the clearest evidence yet that Michigan might have something special developing at quarterback.

For the first time in quite a while, Michigan's offense actually looked capable of carrying its own weight.

And Tommy Carr was the biggest reason why.