There’s no denying that quarterback Bryce Underwood is the most pivotal player on Michigan’s 2026 roster. It’s become almost cliche to talk about Underwood and how important it is for him to develop. With the season right around the corner, we wanted to give you one more opportunity to let us know your thoughts about Underwood.
Will he take the proverbial sophomore leap? How do you foresee his season going at the helm of the Michigan offense?
In his true freshman season, Underwood sank in a “sink-or-swim”
type of situation. He went 202-of-335 (60.3 completion percentage) for 2,428 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 392 yards on 88 attempts with 6 touchdowns. While not objectively terrible, it was certainly disappointing compared to the loftiest of expectations he faced as the No. 1 overall recruit.
Large parts of his struggles could have been due to coaching. Underwood had no dedicated quarterbacks coach, and it’s fair to say the 2025 coaching staff was distracted, to say the least. Underwood’s ability to process a defense and get through his progressions seemed lacking as a true freshman.
However, it’s paramount to remember he’s still incredibly young. Underwood was thrown into the fire because he was, and still is, the best option. No one was complaining he started from Day 1, and there is still plenty of time for improvement.
Now a sophomore who just turned 19 last week, Underwood still has plenty of time to get his feet under him. Kyle Whittingham hired an up-and-coming name in the college coordinator ranks in Jason Beck, and also hired a dedicated quarterbacks coach in Koy Detmer Jr., both of whom should be invaluable to Underwood’s development. On top of that, the wide receiver room is as talented as it has been in a long time.
The resources are now in place for Underwood to develop properly. Will he take advantage of that?
In a sense, Underwood is redoing his freshman season this fall. However, the expectations have been adjusted. The Wolverines need Underwood to be much better than last season, especially given their gauntlet of a schedule. It is widely agreed by fans and media pundits alike that Underwood will be better this season, but the question is by how much.
Call your shot: how well do you think Underwood will play this fall? Will Underwood’s play be night and day better this season as the coaching staff seems to think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
