The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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60 THE WOLVERINE JANUARY 2023 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? ries that have stayed with him through this day and continue to shape him as a man. "To be a Michigan Man means you value hard work, family and the peo- ple that trust you," Underwood said. "Those are the things I really cherish. "On the field, beating Ohio State in the 100th game was a highlight. So was winning the Big Ten championship back-to-back and the Rose Bowl. We held each other accountable, and that's how I still operate daily. I bring my best every day." After his final season with Michigan, Underwood had short stints with the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants in the NFL. Once he realized having a per- manent home at the professional level wasn't an option, Underwood returned to Michigan. He finished his final six credit hours and was allowed to keep his scholarship thanks to then-head coach Lloyd Carr. During that time, Underwood found a new passion when he worked in Michi- gan's strength and conditioning pro- gram under Mike Gittleson, who is now in the USA Strength and Conditioning Coaches Hall of Fame. "I got to work out Mike Hart, Brandon Graham, Lamar Woodley and all those guys," Underwood said. "That was the start of my career. I didn't know it. "Mike Gittleson sat me down and asked me what I wanted to do, and I said 'this.' I planned to go back to Texas and teach everybody what I learned at Michigan." Underwood did just that. He first worked as a private trainer, helping develop some of the best re- cruits in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He also took a couple of jobs at the high school level while he continued to de- velop his craft. "I got into my own personal train- ing business and volunteered with the Nike camps," Underwood said. "They endorsed me as a top trainer in Texas. "I started training more and more top players. I was also at Plano West for five years and had arguably the best running back in the country in Soso Jamabo. After that I took the job at Lewisville in their strength and condi- tioning program." Underwood, however, had bigger as- pirations. He wanted to make the jump to the collegiate level and even sought out the advice of current Michigan strength and conditioning guru Ben Herbert. After making calls and build- ing connections, Underwood landed an internship at Southern Methodist University. When head coach Sonny Dykes left SMU for Texas Christian University this year, he took head strength and con- ditioning coach Kaz Kazadi with him, which opened the door for a new op- portunity. Underwood decided to return to school and accepted a graduate assis- tant job with the Horned Frogs. At TCU, Underwood has worked closely with the football and cross- country teams as a part of the school's Human Performance department and was set to graduate in December. "I feel like I'm a better student than I was as a youth," Underwood said. "I fo- cus more and don't procrastinate. Away from the classroom, I bring knowledge and passion every day. "I'm learning. The same staff was at SMU, so it's fitting that I'm working under the same guys. It was 'Let's win a lot of ballgames, coach these kids up and develop these young men.' That's what we've been doing. "I have a passion for working out and attacking weights. I think this field rep- resents who I am." Perhaps one day Underwood will re- turn to Michigan just like his old team- mate, Mike Hart. As Michigan prepares to take on TCU in the College Football Playoff on New Year's Eve, Underwood will have a root- ing interest in both teams. But his heart still bleeds Maize and Blue. And you can bet he'll have a close eye on Hart and his stable of backs. In fact, Underwood had nothing but praise when asked about Hart, who has proven to be arguably one of the best running back coaches nationally. "Mike is a phenomenal coach," Un- derwood said. "He's very smart. When he was a freshman, I knew he had the potential to do great things because he was very cerebral and a fast learner. I'm not surprised he's having success as a coach. "You can see he's shared his knowl- edge with Donovan [Edwards] and Blake [Corum]. They are having a lot of suc- cess under Mike's tutelage." Underwood, however, has no interest in coaching. His passion remains with strength and conditioning. Upon graduation, Underwood is set to hit the job market and hopes to land a full-time position at a Division I school. "Trust me, if you hire me, you're going to get passion, energy and the knowledge I've been able to gain," Un- derwood said. "That's what I'm bring- ing to the table." ❏ Underwood is a graduate assistant in the TCU Human Performance department and helps train the football team, Michigan's semifinal-round opponent in the College Football Playoff. PHOTO COURTESY TCU ATHLETICS The David Underwood File Michigan Accomplishments: Two-time Big Ten champion and Outback Bowl win- ner … Ran for 612 yards on 148 carries with 6 touchdowns for his four-year career. Professional Accomplishments: Graduate assistant in the Human Perfor- mance department at Texas Christian University, working with football and cross country. Michigan Memory: Beating Ohio State in the 100th game of the rivalry, a 35-21 win over the No. 4 Buckeyes in Ann Arbor on Nov. 22, 2003. Favorite Spot In Ann Arbor: The Big House Education: BA in liberal arts from Michigan, MS in general studies from Texas Christian