Kyle Whittingham Says NIL Doesn't Factor Into Bryce Underwood Starting

As the Michigan Wolverines come out of their bye week, head coach Kyle Whittingham made a few announcements. Most notable among them, sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood will continue to start while offensive coordinator Jason Beck will retain play-calling duties for Saturday's upcoming matchup with the Penn State Nittany Lions.

When asked whether NIL played a role in the decision on Underwood, Whittingham gave an emphatic denial:

"Whatever less than zero is."

Whittingham gave the predictable and understandable response to the NIL question. Still, given the nature of Underwood's recruitment to Michigan and the quality of his play in 2026, the matter doesn't appear likely to go away.

Bryce Underwood's reported NIL earnings

Quarterback Bryce Underwood throws a pass during a team practice at the Belleville High School football field. — Quarterback Bryce Underwood throws a pass during a team practice at the Belleville High School football field in Belleville on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As a highly touted in-state prospect at Belleview High School, Underwood went through a multiyear recruitment process that took several twists and turns. Before his senior season, he committed to play for the LSU Tigers. However, he changed his mind later that year, flipping his commitment to Michigan after receiving a massive NIL offer to stay home instead. According to reports, Underwood's NIL package has a total value of around $10 million.

While Underwood will need to play multiple seasons at Michigan to receive the full compensation, it still ranks as one of the biggest NIL deals since the practice became established earlier in the decade. The Athletic's NIL database estimates that the Wolverines' entire roster budget for 2026 falls somewhere between $36 million and $40 million. So, even if Underwood receives "only" one quarter of the purported $10 million each year -- and he might actually earn more -- he would still represent around 6-7% of the program's entire annual personnel budget.

Bryce Underwood's play so far in 2026

Sep 19, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) is tackled. — Sep 19, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) is tackled by Texas El Paso Miners cornerback Kaleb Miles (23) during the third quarter at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Though the Wolverines utilize a run-centric offense system, that shouldn't mean a quarterback like Underwood lacks opportunities to attack defenses through the air. Effectively marrying the ground game to play-action has proven effective at every level, including virtually all of the elite offenses in the NFL.

And Beck has called play-action with decent frequency. According to Pro Football Focus, just under 30% of Underwood's dropbacks used play-action. However, the quarterback has not thrived on those snaps, completing 54.8% of his attempts for 190 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions.

And while Underwood's non-play-action production seems better on the surface -- 59% completion, 691 yards, five touchdowns, two picks -- the underlying metrics look troubling. This season, PFF charts him with a turnover-worthy play rate of 6.3% on straight dropbacks, more than two times higher than his rate with play-action. Underwood also has a big-time throw rate of just 1.1% on straight dropbacks, almost exactly an eighth of that rate when he does use play-action.

That disconnect raises serious questions about his viability in Michigan's offense. Entering Week 7, the unit ranks 68th in the nation by ESPN's SP+ metric. Unless something dramatically changes, that means Michigan will have the lesser offense in all but one of its remaining games this season (Nov. 7 against Michigan State).

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