The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1542609
30 THE WOLVERINE ❱ FEBRUARY 2026 BY JOHN BORTON K yle Whittingham's Wolver- ines won't be scrambling, starting over or renting at the quarterback posi- tion when the 2026 season rolls around. They'll feature a sophomore quarterback in Bryce Underwood under new manage- ment, looking to take the next steps in his development. Underwood made it clear on social me- dia Jan. 5 that he'll don the winged helmet for the Sept. 5 opener against Western Michigan next fall, after Whittingham made retaining him as Michigan's quar- terback a top priority. The new U-M head coach sat down for a 45-minute conver- sation with Underwood in Orlando prior to Michigan's Citrus Bowl showdown with Texas, and noted he remained all ears. "I did a lot of listening," Whittingham stressed. "I wanted feedback from him. I wanted to get to know him. Everything from growing up, family, what's impor- tant to him — it was a great conversation. He's a special young man who carries himself the right way. You've 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, 6-4, 225-plus pounds. His ceiling is very high, and the offense that we are go- ing 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." Underwood spoke positively of antici- pating the meeting beforehand, noting: "I'm very excited to figure out what kind of guy he is. I really don't know too much about him." The rookie QB figured it out to the point of being fully on board for the com- ing year. He'll be building off a 9-4 sea- son in which he put up laudable numbers, as well as ones he definitely wants to im- prove moving forward. Underwood racked up 2,428 yards on 202-for-335 passing (60.3 percent) as a true freshman, firing 11 touchdown passes with 9 interceptions. He ended the season on a tough note, throwing 3 interceptions against the Longhorns, in- cluding a pair of crucial ones in a fourth quarter in which Texas pulled away with 17 points. Underwood became Michigan's third-leading rusher throughout the sea- son, gaining 392 yards on 88 tries (4.5 LOCKED IN Bryce Underwood Is Back And Ready To Rise Underwood completed 202 of 335 passes (60.3 percent) for 2,428 yards as a true freshman, with 11 touchdown passes and 9 interceptions. He announced Jan. 5 that he would be returning to Michigan as part of Team 147. PHOTO BY TY KORNBLUE