Monday Morning Quarterback: Tommy Carr Takes Massive Step Back In Michigan's Embarrassing Loss To Michigan State

Just one week ago, Tommy Carr looked like a quarterback who might finally provide some answers for Michigan's struggling offense. After Saturday night's embarrassing 15-6 loss to Michigan State, however, the Wolverines are right back where they started. In fact, they're even further behind.

And while Carr certainly deserves criticism for his performance, Michigan's offensive problems extend well beyond its freshman quarterback.

Carr finished the night completing 14 of his 26 pass attempts for 138 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. He also carried the football seven times for minus-19 yards, with Michigan State's relentless pressure making it nearly impossible for him to establish any rhythm.

It was an ugly performance from start to finish.

After completing 81% of his passes for 266 yards and accounting for three touchdowns against Rutgers, Carr looked like a completely different player against the Spartans.

His decision-making was questionable, his accuracy was inconsistent and his inability to protect the football proved costly.

But the offensive line deserves plenty of blame.

Michigan State entered the matchup as a 13.5-point underdog with one of the Big Ten's least impressive defenses. Somehow, the Spartans managed to completely overwhelm Michigan's offensive front, recording five sacks for 33 yards while consistently disrupting Carr's timing.

The Wolverines finished with just 54 rushing yards on 26 attempts, averaging an embarrassing 2.1 yards per carry.

Bryson Kuzdzal led Michigan with 49 yards on nine carries, while Savion Hiter managed just 17 yards on six attempts. Jordan Marshall, once expected to be a major contributor, received only two carries.

Without a reliable rushing attack, Carr was once again forced to shoulder far too much responsibility.

The results were predictable.

Jason Beck deserves heaps of criticism as well. Michigan managed just 192 total yards, converted two of its 10 third-down opportunities and possessed the football for less than 22 minutes.

Even more concerning, the Wolverines produced just 111 yards through three quarters before finally finding the end zone on a late touchdown run by Hiter.

That's simply unacceptable against this opponent.

Carr is still a freshman, and growing pains are inevitable. But there's a difference between allowing a young quarterback to develop and repeatedly putting him in situations where success becomes nearly impossible.

The offensive line can't protect him, the running game provides little assistance and the play-calling continues to lack creativity.

After watching the film on Sunday, head coach Kyle Whittingham decided to relieve offensive coordinator Jason Beck of his duties. Beck's offense had become completely dysfunctional, and Saturday's performance raised too many questions about the direction of the entire offensive operation. A change had to be made.

Carr wasn't good enough against Michigan State. Nobody should pretend otherwise.

But expecting a freshman quarterback to overcome this many deficiencies around him is unreasonable. This goes back to Bryce Underwood as well. No quarterback would be able to function with the way things have been. And thus, the Wolverines have much bigger problems than Carr and/or Underwood.

And until those problems are addressed, changing quarterbacks won't change much of anything.