Central Michigan coach on Bryce Underwood: 'Incredibly gifted' and not overhyped

Central Michigan (1-1) comes to the Big House on Saturday as heavy underdogs against the No. 23 Michigan Wolverines (1-1) in what's slated for a Noon kickoff.

The Wolverines are coming off a poor showing against Oklahoma last Saturday in a 24-13 loss, while the Chippewas looks to bounce back after hanging in the game for awhile with Pittsburgh but falling apart in the final quarter of action.

Central Michigan's coach is 42-year-old Matt Drinkall, who took over for former CMU coach Jim McElwain ahead of this season after McElwain retired. In fact, Drinkall was a part of a staff at Army in 2019 as a quality control coach that nearly upset the Wolverines in Ann Arbor before Michigan prevailed with an overtime victory on Sept. 7 of that year.

Now, Drinkall is back in the Big House again and knows he is facing a tough challenge against this Michigan team and a true freshman quarterback in Bryce Underwood, who has impressed him through two games this season.

"I’ll be honest with you: I tried to lie to myself when I got hired and we got the schedule and I saw it and I was like, ‘Ah, maybe he’s overhyped and not quite as good as everybody [says].’ That is not the case,” Drinkall said (via The Wolverine). “He is incredibly gifted. The thing is, obviously, his physical skills jump off the tape. If you walk by him — I’ve never seen him in person, but I imagine — he looks like he looks the part. But, man, he is not only a good decision-maker, he is a very decisive decision-maker. He operates the system like a veteran. If no one told you he’s a freshman, you would never in a million years ever think that. Ever. Not by anything. He’s coached incredibly well. They have a great package that allows him to … the cool part about him, watching him on film as a fan of football, he can do everything. He can do everything. And he’s got a great supporting cast of people that complement him really well. They run a system that does a great job of fitting how all their players play. But, boy, he’s an impressive player.”

Even though Underwood didn't have the game he was likely envisioning for himself last week, that isn't stopping coaches like Drinkall and other football minds from recognizing his potential and ceiling as a QB over his next few years in college football.

Sep 6, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) warms up prior to game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Central Michigan coach on Bryce Underwood: 'Incredibly gifted' and not overhyped

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