Jason Beck Gives Bryce Underwood a Lucky Number 13

Who could possibly have it better than Bryce Underwood?

Ok, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but the words coming out of fall camp for the Michigan Wolverines continue to sing the praises of their controversial second-year quarterback.

Underwood is under a lot of pressure in 2026, needing to deliver on the promise that comes with the tag of a five-star recruit. With the schedule challenges Michigan is set to face, they need their quarterback to be the rising tide that lifts all ships.

If the words of the coaching staff are any indication, Underwood is well on his way to fulfilling his potential.

Brief, but Impactful.

Offensive coordinator Jason Beck took to the podium Thursday to discuss a multitude of topics surrounding Michigan’s offense.

Yes, the run game is still going to be a focus. Michigan’s identity is rooted on its ability to move on the ground.

They also need to figure out how to move the ball in the air, and Underwood is a big part of improving in that phase of the game. Fall camp has been a brief introduction to Michigan’s new offense with just 13 practices in the books.

According to Beck, all 13 practices have been good days for Underwood.

“We’ve had 13 practices, and Bryce Underwood has had 13 good practices,” Beck said.

This comes on the heels of Kyle Whittingham telling the Big Ten Network that Underwood has had an A-Plus camp. Network

"He's coming along well," Whittingham said. "He's had a great first six days. He's much further ahead than he was at the end of spring. He obviously worked hard this summer and did a lot of positive things, getting himself ready in the film room, on the field. And so far through six practices, I graded him an A-plus."

That’s a lot of optimism from a coaching staff that is under little to no pressure to give unnecessary praise to a quarterback they did not recruit.

Despite that fact, the coaching staff has been constant in their praise of the second-year quarterback. Beck’s comments are just another example.

Underwood’s Offseason

Underwood has faced some unfair scrutiny after his first season as Michigan’s quarterback. Yes, he exudes confidence when he speaks and made comments that some have latched onto in order to criticize him.

It’s also true that he was a true freshman quarterback who had just turned 18 when he stepped foot onto the field as the starting quarterback for the first time.

Sherrone Moore did not do Underwood any favors after anointing him as the starting quarterback. They did not have a quarterbacks coach, and their passing game was elementary to say the very least.

As a result, Underwood and the offense struggled for most of the year, culminating with an ugly performance against Ohio State to finish the regular season.

Kyle Whittingham’s first mission was to correct the mistakes of those who came before him. Koy Detmer Jr. and Jason Beck have one primary mission, and that is to get the most out of Underwood during his career.

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) warms up before the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 18, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Nobody will know until the games start, but in clips shared to social media and words coming out from the coaches, Underwood appears to have taken the coaching in stride.

13 good practices in a row gives Michigan’s offense reason for hope they can be more multi-dimensional than they’ve been each of the last two years.

You Go, We Go

The reality of this season with the rough schedule Michigan faces is that Underwood needs to be the equalizer. NFL Hall of Fame General Manager Ron Wolf used to say that great players tilt the field in favor of their team.

Michigan has had players like that in the recent past with Aidan Hutchinson and JJ McCarthy, for example.

They have not had a player like that each of the last two years, and they need Underwood to be that player. That’s the investment that Michigan has made in him both financially and on the field.

If Michigan is going to beat teams like Indiana, Oregon, Oklahoma, or Ohio State, they need Underwood to be the man.

There’s a difference between being the man and someone else to just blend in.

Wins and losses is not a quarterback stat, but there is no position in all of sports that affects the game as much as the quarterback does in football. He’ll touch the ball on every play. That means he’ll have a chance to make the plays to tilt the game in his team’s favor.

So far, so good.

#Michigan is off on its 'Foreign Tour,' and Mike Boynton Jr. noted two players who won't play.

But the Wolverines are going to test the waters during their three-game exhibition with different rotations.

What to watch: https://t.co/anSEijJz1e pic.twitter.com/VX2BlTa62R
— Trent Knoop (@TrentKnoop) August 20, 2026

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