As the Michigan football season approaches the end and we begin to look ahead to next season, one player who will be at the forefront of the Wolverine’s future is incoming freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. A consensus five-star and the nation’s number-one prospect, Underwood is considered a generational prospect by many. While playing at Bellville High School, a school only 20 minutes from the University of Michigan, Underwood threw for over 5,000 yards and 70 touchdowns over the last two seasons. He also added 728 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground, making him a true dual-threat quarterback. Standing 6’4 and 215 pounds, Underwood has gained comparisons to star players such as Josh Allen, Trevor Lawrence, and Vince Young, all of whom were top 10 picks in their respective draft classes. Underwood’s decision to choose the Wolverines was not an easy one, as he had previously been committed to Louisiana State University. However, a strong NIL package headlined by billionaire Larry Ellison was enough to ultimately convince Underwood to stay home. He is expected to be a Day 1 starter, meaning the next time we see the Wolverines take the field, it may very well be with Underwood under center.
Michigan’s quarterback play this season has garnered great criticism throughout the season, and understandably so. This season saw three different players start a game under center as the Wolverines looked for the answer at QB. However, they never truly found it as Michigan quarterbacks only averaged 138 passing yards per game while throwing 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Compare this to Michigan opponents this season, who threw for an average of 222 yards per game, along with 17 touchdowns and 9 interceptions against a solid Wolverine defense. The revolving door at quarterback only intensified the need for a long-term answer at the position, with hopes that Underwood will be the Wolverine’s signal caller for the next three to four years.
The Wolverines have been heavily dependent on their run game this season, as they were led by senior running backs Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards. The dynamic duo of Mullings and Edwards, in addition to the team’s below-average passing attack, led to an inconsistent split of runs compared to passes. Through 11 games, the team has run the ball 393 times, as opposed to only 277 pass attempts. Rarely do teams run the ball at a higher rate than throwing, so this statistic is definitely a testament to the team’s personnel.
Looking at the Wolverines’ most recent game against Northwestern, Michigan did manage an even split of 35 runs and passes. However, as we dig deeper, only 5 of Warren’s 35 pass attempts went at least 10 yards down the field. On these passes, Warren was 2-5 with an interception. On a similar note, 13 of Warren’s pass attempts were screen passes or thrown behind the line of scrimmage. Despite the inability to have much of a downfield passing attack, the Wolverines were still able to handle Northwestern with ease, winning the game 50-6.
As we look at how Underwood’s presence may alter the Wolverine’s offensive attack, expect to see a more pass-heavy offense going forward. Underwood averaged over 18.5 yards per pass attempt and has a rocket arm that can routinely launch balls more than 60 yards down the field. This, along with the departure of two key running backs, will lead to a more explosive and exciting offense going forward.
Underwood’s presence will also help recruit more top prospects to the Wolverines. The Underwood effect has already been seen with players like his former high school teammate, four-star safety Elijah Dotson, who flipped his commitment to Michigan days before Underwood followed suit. Expect many other top recruits, specifically on the offensive side of the ball, to be attracted to the allure of a team with a player who is considered a generational talent.
The Michigan Wolverines will need a complete roster to get back to their winning ways of the 2021-2023 seasons. As we saw with those seasons’ Wolverines, having a top-ten pick at quarterback is a great starting point, but it takes the recruitment of guys like Blake Corum, Roman Wilson, Junior Colson, Kris Jenkins, Mike Sainristil, and Zak Zinter to truly craft a championship-caliber team. It will be exciting to see how the roster takes shape heading into next season, as Bryce Underwood may usher in a new Golden Age for Michigan football.
