Michigan Coach Says Bryce Underwood is 'Our QB Right Now' But That's 'Not Set in Concrete'

ANN ARBOR, MI — One prevailing sentiment is that Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood played very much like a freshman last year.

If that’s accurate, then Underwood hasn’t exactly played like a sophomore this year — yet.

That could be concerning for the Wolverines’ offense, or it could be something to be aware of for the Oklahoma defense.

When the two college football titans square off Saturday at The Big House, quarterback play will, once again, be at the center of attention.

In Crimson and Cream, OU senior John Mateer will be looking to beat the Wolverines again, like he did last year in Norman when he threw one touchdown and ran for two more and powered the Sooners to a convincing 24-13 victory.

In Maize and Blue, Underwood will try to recapture some of the efficiency that led to Michigan’s opening touchdown last Saturday against Western Michigan, or some of the magic that led to the game-winning Hail Mary pass to beat the Broncos with no time left on the clock.

On Monday, during his weekly press conference at Schembechler Hall, Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham expressed that, despite the fan base’s unrest over Underwood’s latest meh performance, the talented second-year player from Detroit “is our QB right now,” Whittingham said.

“That’s not something that's infinite,” the coach added. “I mean, at some point, you got to turn a corner and got to see improvement. … He’s not absolutely set in concrete.”

Freshman Tommy Carr is Underwood’s backup, and is currently the only other QB getting first-team reps, Whittingham said.

“Not a lot, of course,” Whittingham said. “It's about 80-20, getting the quarterback ready for a game, and that's pretty common. That's not out of the ordinary.”

Underwood signed with the Wolverines as the No. 1 overall recruit in the nation, and reportedly received more than $3 million for his letter of intent.

But his freshman season, while producing plenty of highlights, was largely a disappointment.

He completed 60.3 percent of his 335 passes for 2,428 while throwing just 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed 88 times for 392 yards and six TDs as the Wolverines ranked 58th in the nation in total offense and 105th in passing yards.

And their 8-4 regular season finish — two years after winning the national championship — was a letdown for one of the nation’s biggest and loudest fan bases.

When Whittingham brought Jason Beck with him from Utah to Ann Arbor as offensive coordinator, it was widely assumed Underwood would blossom. But Underwood and Beck (who previously coordinated offense at Syracuse and New Mexico) didn’t enjoy anything resembling success or consistency in Michigan’s escape last Saturday night.

Underwood scored a touchdown on the game’s opening drive, then the Wolverines didn’t get close to the end zone again until Underwood’s final toss resulted in a 13-12 stunner.

Underwood completed just 12-of-22 throws for 170 yards with one touchdown and one pick. He ran the football nine times for 47 yards and that early TD.

He also threw an interception and then lost a fumble in the final minutes that all but sealed Michigan’s fate — before Big Ten officials granted the Wolverines an addition second and a miracle do-over.

“We left a few things out there — in both the run game and the throw game,” Whittingham said. “Especially the QB run aspect of it. Weren't quite as sharp as we needed to be.”

Is Underwood, then, on a short leash if Brent Venables’ defense gets him confused or careless with the football? Last year in Norman, he hit just 9-of-24 passes for 142 yards. He didn’t commit any turnovers, but he did get sacked once and finished with minus-1 yard on three rushes.

If Venables gets to Underwood early, or if his struggles continue into conference play, how long would it take for Whittingham to put in the backup?

“Well, I don’t want to put a timeline on it,” Whittingham said. “We've got to see progress, and we've got to see a level of play that is conducive to winning games.

“Bryce is still just a true sophomore. There's no two ways about that, and he's got a new offense that he's assimilating this year. So it's a lot of brand new stuff there. So, don't want to panic. Don't want to get ahead of ourselves. Like I said, he's a big-time talent. His arm talent, his ability to run — we're just going to stay the course for right now.

“But again, there does come a time for everybody at some point where you've got to get an alternative if you're not getting much out of him.”

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