Sherrone Moore on Michigan QB competition: 'There is no starter'

Some may see it as a forgone conclusion that true freshman Bryce Underwood takes the field as the starting quarterback when Michigan football opens against New Mexico on Sept. 30. However, that's not how head coach Sherrone Moore sees it, as he stressed to reporters at Big Ten Media Days on Thursday in Las Vegas that "there is no starter" up to this point and that the position battle remains an open competition heading into fall camp.

"Before anybody asks, it's an open competition," Moore said. "He (Underwood) is not the starter right now—there is no starter. We'll figure out who that is in camp and we'll do a really good job of evaluating that position to make sure we have the best person to lead our program at the quarterback position."

Michigan’s Sherrone Moore on QB1: “Before anyone asks, it’s an open competition. There is no starter. When they ‘have the team’ we’ll know we have our starter”
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 24, 2025

Underwood's main competitor in fall camp is expected to be Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene, who has a wealth of experience under his belt with 39 games played while throwing for over 8,000 yards and 65 touchdowns in his four-year career at UCF and Fresno. However, Keene missed the majority of spring practice after sustaining an upper body injury early in camp. Furthermore, Davis Warren has still been recovering after suffering a torn ACL in the ReliaQuest Bowl in last season's finale, meaning Underwood and sophomore Jadyn Davis took all the reps behind center in the spring.

Keene told On3's The Wolverine at the 2025 Champions Circle Golf Classic on Monday that he is progressing well from that injury and will be ready to go for fall camp.

"Coming along just fine,” Keene said. “Excited to be able to get back out there with the guys. It was an unfortunate situation, but will be ready to go. Obviously, sucks not being able to get the reps and the camaraderie with the team, but just trying to do what I can to be the best teammate possible. I got closer with Davis in the offseason; we were together, rehab group going strong. We were on that road bike going a lot of miles."

Warren told The Wolverine at the golf outing that he is "ahead of schedule" in his recovery but is still unsure when he will be able to return to practice.

As far as the qualities Moore and the staff are looking for in their eventual starting quarterback, the head coach said they will know they have their starter when they "grab the team."

"They're going to make throws, they're going to make plays. But when they've got the team—we knew it with J.J. when he had the team," said Moore. "When we've got that person there at the front, then we'll know we have our starting quarterback that will help us. The starting quarterback is not only the guy that's making the throws and touching the football first, but he's the guy that they're all looking to when adversity strikes. So, he's (Underwood) got to do a really good job in those moments. So, whether it's Bryce, whether it's Jadyn, whether it's Mikey—whoever it is, they have to do a really good job in those moments in camp when we provide them a little chaos to be great."

In previous interviews, Moore has been on record saying that Underwood wouldn't be handed the starting job and would have to earn the spot over his competitors. Moore has added that Underwood wouldn't want it any other way. On Thursday in Las Vegas, Moore was consistent in that the starting spot at QB will have to be won with play on the field. As time wears on, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top and which QB will take the first snap under the light at the Big House during Week 1.

Sherrone Moore on Michigan QB competition: 'There is no starter'

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