Wolverine Digest

ESPN lumps Michigan football, Ohio State, and Notre Dame into same tier for QB play

The Wolverines are grouped with their bitter rivals.
Trent Knoop|
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Michigan Wolverines

Michigan fans are excited to see the new passing attack this fall for a few different reasons. The most obvious is five-star freshman Bryce Underwood. But Sherrone Moore also hired former North Carolina OC Chip Lindsey to run his offense in Ann Arbor, and the Wolverines' passing attack can only go up -- for obvious reasons, too. Michigan had the 131st-ranked passing offense last season, with just service academies behind it. There is really only one way to go and that's up.

But with Underwood never throwing a pass in college football, and Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene missing the entire spring due to injury, ESPN isn't putting Michigan's QB situation too high. The Wolverines are in Tier 4 of ESPN's QB rankings, and Michigan is grouped in with Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Washington, who are all in Tier 4.

QB A: 82.9 QBR, 68% completions, 8.6 yards per pass, 4.4 touchdown-to-interception ratio
QB B: 66.2 QBR, 59.8% completions, 7.3 yards per pass, 1.9 touchdown-to-interception ratio

QB A is Michigan's passing rates in 2022 and 2023, largely buoyed by J.J. McCarthy. QB B is Michigan's passing every other year of the playoff era. Last season was defined by woeful QB play, but the Wolverines are betting they've found another star in Underwood, and even if he doesn't blossom immediately, Keene seems to be an upgrade from anyone they relied on in 2024.

With Lindsey running the show and improved passing from the QBs, the Michigan passing attack is bound to make leaps and bounds in 2025.

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -

More Michigan News:

Social media erupts following Michigan football gaining TE commitment Matt Ludwig

Report: Michigan football hits the road for an important recruiting visit

Michigan basketball: ESPN predicts if Yaxel Lendeborg is a first-round pick post NBA Draft Combine

For additional coverage of University of Michigan athletics:

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Trent Knoop
TRENT KNOOP

Trent began writing and covering Michigan athletics back in 2020. He became a credentialed member of the media in 2021. Trent began writing with Sports Illustrated in 2023 and became the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI during the 2025 football season. Trent also serves as the Publisher of Baylor Bears on SI. His other bylines have appeared on Maryland on SI, Wisconsin on SI, and across the USA TODAY Sports network. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.

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