Oklahoma Preparing for Bryce Underwood Like He's a 'Super Bowl Quarterback'

The Sooners hope to confuse Michigan's true freshman on Saturday night, but OU is expecting the Wolverines' coaching staff to have a good plan for Bryce Underwood.

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood drops back to pass in the Wolverines' contest against New Mexico. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

NORMAN — Typically, taking on a true freshman quarterback would have a Brent Venables defense rubbing its hands together. 

A fresh face will lead the No. 15-ranked Michigan Wolverines in Saturday’s battle with No. 18 Oklahoma, but Bryce Underwood has let the world know he’s not a typical freshman. 

“He's a little different,” Venables said on Tuesday. “… Just quick, decisive, accurate, poised, tough, consistent, and there's a reason he was the No. 1 player in America. And he's got a maturity and a work ethic and a leadership ability to go along with that.”

Underwood enjoyed a successful debut in Michigan’s 34-17 win over New Mexico last Saturday. 

He completed 21-of-31 passes for 251 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t use his legs much to create off script. He finished with two carries for -5 yards, but Underwood didn’t need to pick up tough yards for the Wolverines to overpower New Mexico. 

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood passes against New Mexico during the first half at Michigan Stadium. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alabama transfer Justice Haynes carried the ball 16 yards for 159 yards and three scores in his Michigan debut to help his freshman quarterback. 

Preparing for a quarterback with one game of vanilla tape won’t reveal everything the Sooners need to know about Underwood, but that won’t stop the OU coaching staff from attacking the week with an extensive game plan. 

“I really look at the team, the DNA of the offense,” Venables said. “We want to get after every quarterback that we play. But everything, there's a methodology to all of it. And so you gotta start in the run game, starts up front. You gotta win the battle in the trenches. Everybody's gotta win their matchups for anything to work.”

Oklahoma’s defensive leaders came away from the weekend impressed with Underwood. 

“He looks good,” OU linebacker Kobie McKinzie said. “He doesn’t look like a freshman. Looked very composed and let the game come to him. We’re going to have to get after him a little bit. He looked comfortable back there.”

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The task ahead of Underwood, leading a team into one of college football’s marquee atmospheres to win a big road game, reminds Venables of another talented quarterback — Trevor Lawrence. 

Venables was the defensive coordinator at Clemson in 2018 when Lawrence, who was splitting time with veteran Kelly Bryant, found himself in the middle of Kyle Field taking on Texas A&M.

“I remember the guys around him playing well, a defense that played really well,” Venables said. “…  He was surrounded by a veteran football team where he, again, didn’t have to play quarterback alone. And if we’re going to be successful where everybody plays a role.”

The Tigers won that game 28-26, but Venables hopes it’s the more veteran quarterback, John Mateer, that comes out on top this weekend. 

Last year, the Sooners forced a pair of turnovers against Tennessee as redshirt freshman Nico Iamaleava made his first major road start, though OU’s own issues prevented Oklahoma from capitalizing on those mistakes. 

Venables will undoubtedly have wrinkles prepared to confuse Underwood, but the Sooners are expecting the freshman’s best at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday (ABC).

“You gotta see it as playing Michigan as a whole,” OU cornerback Gentry Williams said. “That’s a good program they got going on. So if that’s the best quarterback they’ve got… You know he’s going to be prepared. 

“He’s going to be prepared like a senior. So we gotta prepare like he’s a Super Bowl quarterback. And that’s what we’re going to do every single day.”