Michigan spring game: Young players get their turn in spotlight
· Yahoo Sports
Ann Arbor — The starters were never going to be impactful in the Michigan spring game because they either weren’t going to play or they’d be limited, so this was a time for younger players to shine. And with that in mind, these are the names to keep in mind heading into the fall: freshmen Savion Hiter, Salesi Moa and Tommy Carr.
Starting quarterback Bryce Underwood only played the first quarter, the “thud” period, on Saturday at Michigan Stadium and he was 3-of-9 for 22 yards in an uneven showing.
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“He progressed all through spring,” head coach Kyle Whittingham said of Underwood. “There are some things that may not be noticeable to the general (public), but his footwork, his pocket presence, he’s improved in all areas. He still has work to do. He knows that. We know that.”
But the spring game was never meant to be the table setter for the upcoming season under Whittingham in the sense that what you saw Saturday would be the exact product on the field this fall. Of course not, because teams don't want opponents to see many of their cards. Whittingham and his mostly new staff spent spring practice installing a new offense and defense, and he had said the game would really be about the second- and third-string players getting extended reps.
With 17 seconds left, running back Tomas O’Meara scored to lift the Maize team to a 7-6 victory over the Blue. Whittingham said on the Big Ten Network coverage that the winning team would get a Texas de Brazil dinner, and the losing team received nothing.
“The main thing is you get a look at everybody and as game-like a situation as we can manufacture, especially the twos and threes that haven't had much game experience, if at all,” Whittingham said after the game. “Offensive production today wasn't real good, obviously. Only found the end zone one time, but there was a lot of positives. I thought we did a good job taking care of the football. There were no turnovers, but again, when you're playing yourselves, your defense didn't create any takeaways, so it's give and take.”
Whittingham, who spent the last 21 seasons as Utah head coach, was hired by Michigan last December. He is still getting to know the team and the program.
“We felt like we got accomplished this spring exactly what we needed to,” Whittingham said. “Football team got better fundamentally, technique-wise. Got complete schemes installed on both sides of the ball. We had a lot of work to do this spring. I think we made a lot of progress.”
Carr, the grandson of former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr and All-American defensive back Tom Curtis, completed 21-of-30 passes for 143 yards and he rushed for 51 on six carries. While Jordan Marshall is the lead returning back, Hiter is expected to see significant playing time this fall. Hiter finished with 44 yards on 10 carries. Moa had four catches for 26 yards, including a spectacular one-handed catch.
“Bryce is our starter right now, and that’s not any different after today, but Tommy has really made strides,” Whittingham said of the early enrollee freshman. “He has a great pocket presence and escapeability and can extend plays, keeps his eyes downfield. All the things you look for in a big-time quarterback I believe Tommy possesses. It’s still early in his career, but what he’s doing out there relative to his experience level is really impressive.”
Whittingham said Carr has the “It” factor at quarterback.
“That confidence, that field-general mentality, the way he carries himself,” Whittingham said. “He’s a football junkie. I’m in the facility at 10 at night and I walk by the quarterback room, and there’s Tommy Carr watching film all by himself. That’s what you want to see in your quarterback.”
Carr said he wants to add weight in the offseason and continue to improve his game. He originally was committed to Miami (Ohio) but had a strong senior season at Saline High and Michigan came calling. His older brother, C.J. is the starting quarterback at Notre Dame.
“All through high school I was pretty underrecruited,” Carr said. “I didn’t really understand why, but I can’t control that. I definitely have a chip on my shoulder just trying to prove everyone wrong.”
For Hiter, the adjustment to college football has gone like this — first, dealing with the weather, then focusing on pass protection and getting up to speed on the pace of the college game. Still, he looked more like a veteran out there and is physical and tough to bring down.
“Very physical,” Hiter said, when asked to describe how he plays. “I feel like nobody can tackle me on the field.”
Marshall, Michigan’s leading rusher last season, was one of four spring football captains this season, and will have a major role in the offense this fall. Hiter, a five-star recruit, will, too.
“I thought Savion Hiter really showed that he's an explosive back,” Whittingham said. “He'll get loose out in the open, but he's a powerful back that's going to be a big factor for us this fall.”
While the big names on the team didn’t get much run in the spring game, they’re pretty much a given heading into the fall. The spring game was about giving the younger players a chance, and they made themselves names to remember.
“If you say who's been the most pleasant surprise, it's probably going to be (Carr) and Savion,” Whittingham said. “Although I wouldn't say they're surprises, but guys that are really looking like they have some bright futures.”
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan spring game: Young players get their turn in spotlight