Michigan begins its college football season this weekend when it hosts New Mexico Saturday night at the Big House. And when the Wolverine’s offense takes the field for the first time, it will be led by Bryce Underwood – who will become just the fourth true freshman quarterback ever to start a season for Michigan.
It probably wasn’t Michigan’s plan to start Underwood right out of the gate, especially with a road game at Oklahoma looming in week two. Indeed, Michigan turned to the transfer portal over
the off-season to bring in former Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene. A three-year starter at UCF and Fresno State, Keene arrived in Ann Arbor with 34 career starts and more than 8,000 passing yards.
Michigan brought in Keene to provide a veteran influence to a young and inexperienced quarterback room, but also, very likely, to allow Underwood to ease into the starting role. After all, few quarterbacks step in as day-one starters. Even someone like Trevor Lawrence, who was 34-2 as a starter over his three-year career at Clemson and led the Tigers to a national championship in his freshman season, didn’t start until the fifth game of the season. However, with Keene battling injuries throughout the spring and summer, it became clear that the Bryce Underwood era at Michigan would begin earlier than some anticipated.
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore was quick to point out that Underwood didn’t back into the starting role, however. “He’s earned the opportunity,” Moore told reporters. “All the other quarterbacks had a good camp as well. (But) Bryce took the necessary steps and really took ownership of the team.”
In Underwood, Michigan has a quarterback prospect with few comparables. Not just the top quarterback in the country coming out of high school, but the top overall recruit. One that checks all the boxes for what you’d want in a quarterback.
“If you’re going to build a quarterback in a lab,” Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus said, “This is what you would want.”
Wasserman isn’t wrong. At 6’4” and 228 pounds, Underwood has both an NFL-caliber arm and the athleticism that makes him a legitimate running threat. Underwood also possesses, according to coaches and teammates, a precociousness that few freshmen possess. “For a young guy, (he’s) very mature beyond his years. And he’s still only 18 years old,” Moore said.
It’s that precociousness and maturity that may prove to be Underwood’s most important attribute early. Because for all of Underwood’s physical ability, he’s never played a college down. Never lined up across from a college defense. As talented as Underwood is, it will take a while for him to get comfortable.
Which is why Michigan fans should practice patience with their young signal-caller. There will be growing pains. Underwood will undoubtedly show flashes of his tantalizing talent, but he’ll also undoubtedly make his share of mistakes. After all, they’re called “freshman mistakes” for a reason. Particularly with questions about Michigan’s offensive line, expectations should be tempered
But Michigan fans should also be excited about witnessing Underwood’s opening act. Excited about the flashes of greatness that Underwood will show. Excited about the possibilities that Underwood brings to Michigan’s offense – possibilities that last year’s quarterbacks simply couldn’t offer.
In other words, accept that there will be ups and downs and enjoy the ride.
And the season.
Because in a season in which Michigan looks to have one of the nation’s best defenses, if Underwood acclimates himself to the college game, and if he looks like a different quarterback in the final quarter of the season than he did in the first quarter of the season, it could be a special season in Ann Arbor.
Moore told reporters earlier this week that the Wolverines are embracing the challenges this season brings. “We’re really living by the motto of TNT,” Moore said. “Today not tomorrow.”
For Underwood and the Wolverines, today starts Saturday.
