A controversial call and a miraculous play saved Michigan from becoming the biggest upset victim of Week 1.
Bryce Underwood's Hail Mary pass after the Wolverines
were awarded one final play led to a 13-12 win over Western Michigan, but he struggled significantly before it. Ignoring that 47-yard touchdown pass to JJ Buchanan, Underwood completed 11 of 21 passes for 123 yards, no touchdowns and an interception.He struggled to move the ball on a MAC opponent, which does not bode well ahead of Michigan's Week 2 home showdown against a Brent Venables-coached Oklahoma defense. If that weren't enough pressure, coach Kyle Whittingham made some comments this week that are less than reassuring.
“He’s our QB right now,” Whittingham said when asked about
Underwood's job security, per On3. “And it’s not something that’s infinite. At some point, we’ve got to turn a corner and we’ve got to see improvement, as we do with a lot of stuff; you’ve got to see improvement out of the coaches, so it’s not just on Bryce. And it’s not just Bryce’s job that is not absolutely set in concrete. You’ve got to perform week in and week out and become somebody that is playing at a level we can win with.”
Underwood was asked about those comments on Wednesday, but he said he wasn't concerned about it.
“There were comments about that? That’s cool," Underwood said. "I didn’t see that. It’s cool.”
NEW: Michigan QB Bryce Underwood on Kyle Whittingham’s comments about his job security:
— On3 (@On3) September 9, 2026
“There were comments about that? That’s cool. I didn’t see that. It’s cool.”
(via @CSayf23)https://t.co/3D5UPwEkYZ https://t.co/0XTnzniAjM pic.twitter.com/XWFnaHZnDI
Underwood was the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, and Michigan paid a pretty penny to secure his services out of high school. The Wolverines reportedly awarded him a four-year, $12 million contract.
He started all 13 games as a true freshman last season but had his share of struggles. He threw for just 2,428 yards with 11 touchdowns to nine interceptions, though he did run for 392 yards and six more scores.
With a new coaching staff that didn't recruit him, however, it seems his leash may not be as long as originally thought. Michigan also has veteran Colorado State transfer quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi on the roster, as well as four-star true freshman Tommy Carr — grandson of former Wolverines coach Lloyd Carr and brother of Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr.
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Bryce Underwood responds to Kyle Whittingham's job security comments
