The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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42 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY JOHN BORTON F ootball teams can feature a solid defense, good rushing attack, and better-than-average special teams. Without an excellent quarterback, though, they'll almost never reach elite status in any given season. That's the blessing and the burden placed on sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood. Michigan's first campaign under new head coach Kyle Whitting- ham and staff is hurtling down the line like a freight train. If Under- wood can push past his freshman struggles, acclimate to a new of- fense and exercise his immense physical skills to the maxi- mum, the Wolverines could become a major force in the Big Ten once again. Underwood knows what's at stake. He's no big talker, when it comes to the media. He wants to be a doer, All Eyes On 19 All Eyes On 19 Bryce Underwood Holds The Ladder To Michigan's Ceiling Last season, Underwood completed 60.3 percent of his passes as U- M's starting quarterback, going 202-for-335 for 2,428 yards with 11 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL