Texas coach Steve Sarkisian speaks glowingly about Bryce Underwood ahead of bowl game

Ahead of the Citrus Bowl on Wednesday, Michigan interim head coach Biff Poggi and Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian met with the media on Tuesday. Sarkisian was asked about Michigan freshman Bryce Underwood, who Sarkisian heavily evaluated coming out of high school -- like most teams.

Sarkisian spoke glowingly of Underwood and how he has conducted himself as a true freshman. Playing in the NIL era, Sarkisian noted that both Underwood and Arch Manning are two of the most polarizing figures in college football.

Michigan QB Bryce Underwood — Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Well, I would say for Bryce [Underwood] this is somebody that we evaluated really hard coming out of high school," Sarkisian said on Tuesday. "It is really hard to play quarterback at this level. Maybe at different levels it is a little easier, but at the level that we compete at, as a true freshman, and do it at a high level, that is really hard to do.

"We are talking about Arch. Arch is in year three. Bryce, to go win nine games as a true freshman at quarterback, I get there's going to be some adversity along the way throughout a season as a true freshman quarterback, but the stick-to-itiveness for him. Obviously a very gifted, very talented young man.

"And probably two of the more -- for both quarterbacks -- two of the more polarizing figures in today's game when you think about the story of Arch, but yet here is Bryce in the world of NIL and people are going to make stories out of stuff, whether true or not, rather than just focus on the young man."

Whittingham's vision for Underwood

Bryce Underwood didn't have the season many Michigan fans envisioned him having. Underwood threw for 2,229 yards, nine TDs, and six INTs. He added 323 yards on the ground and five scores. But the Wolverines might not have utilized Underwood the way many thought, either.

With new head coach Kyle Whittingham in Ann Arbor, he revealed he already had a 'great talk' with Underwood and is excited to coach him in 2026.

"Well I did a lot of listening," Whittingham said of his conversation with Underwood. "I wanted feedback from him, I wanted to get to know him. Everything from growing up, family, what's important to him -- it was a great conversation. He's a special young man. Carries himself the right way, you got to have a quarterback that has that 'it' factor and Bryce definitely has that 'it' factor.

"Along with a ton of talent. Big, strong kid. 6-foot-4, 225-plus pounds. His ceiling is very high, and the offense that we are going to bring in here I think will suit him to a T. I think he's going to really, really excel and have a great experience here."

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