The Wolverines were thirsting for some sort of messiah figure to will them back to their pedestal. Who better than the class of ‘25’s No.1 overall recruit and Michigan native Bryce Underwood to quench their thirst? Boy, did they make sure the attraction was reciprocated. North of $10 million in NIL money later, the first big QB recruit of the Sherrone Moore era is here. Underwood’s arrival is akin to a transcendent being descending upon Ann Arbor from the heavens to lift the mood and perception in and around the program. But will his potential reign of terror over B1G defenses begin straight away? Or will Michigan err on the side of caution and convention, sitting the true freshman as he adapts to the collegiate level?
Sherrone Moore’s struggles to get good quarterback play this past season are well-documented. Having a carousel of 3 different players alternating behind center meant his first season at the helm was a massive fall from grace relative to Michigan’s status as defending National Champs. Coach Moore’s failure to fill his JJ McCarthy-shaped void was at the crux of their poor 2024. But even if Michigan had a great QB, it only would’ve papered over the cracks spread throughout their offense. The receiving corps wasn’t exactly elite.
Compare it to their arch-nemesis and current Natty holders, Ohio State, who irrefutably had the best WR room in the country. Away from the perimeter and into the trenches. With a former lineman as HC, Michigan wouldn’t have been pleased with their O-line play either. Now conceded, a lot of these issues with the supporting cast have been fixed. But not completely.
The receiving corps is still somewhat fractured, and so is the offensive line. Throwing Bryce Underwood straight into the deep end perhaps isn’t the wisest move. A contingency plan does exist. Sherrone Moore has acquired the services of Mikey Keene via the transfer portal. The veteran has traversed two different programs already and thrown for a cumulative 8,245 yards and 65 TDs through the air in his collegiate career. But Keene’s got holes in his repertoire, too. He’s outright immobile.
As hyperbolic as this sounds, Mikey Keene has negative rushing yards throughout his CFB career. Not being able to run for first downs and move the sticks with your legs is one thing. But Keene may not even be able to maneuver the backfield if the pocket collapses. Which probably will be behind this Michigan O-line. Thus increasing sack potential. The plot thickens, and the scales do shift towards Bryce Underwood.
Coach Moore and new OC Chip Lindsey are faced with a decision. Go for the experienced Mikey Keene, who can maybe use that know-how to navigate a poor supporting cast. A high-floor guy with 34 college starts but one with a low ceiling. Or, go for Bryce Underwood. A high-ceiling guy who’s mobile enough to counteract poor offensive line play but has a grand total of zero CFB snaps. With all this baked into the equation, On3’s JD PicKell has come to a conclusion. He leveraged his opinion on this QB conundrum over the On3 YouTube channel.
“Here’s my take on this. If you don’t play Bryce Underwood, if he’s not good enough for you to play right away, I don’t think you get to see what the Chip Lindsey offense is truly meant to be,” remarked PicKell. He mentioned how Lindsey’s scheming makes the quarterback the focal point. His offenses go as far as the signal caller takes them. Given the range of Mikey Keene’s arsenal, or lack thereof, it could be difficult to elevate the pass offense to the expected level. PicKell added. “My concern around playing Mikey Keene is… I know his skill set doesn’t excite you as much as the Bryce Underwood’s.” JD PicKell even mentioned how a season of poor quarterbacking could deter future recruits in that position. Since Lindsey’s offense accentuates the QB so much.
PicKell drove home his implied call for Bryce Underwood to be QB1 by talking expectations around Michigan. He believes Sherrone Moore and co. are aiming for the playoffs. While going with Underwood means there is a chance they crash and burn, it also gives them a better shot at reaching those goals. There are very rational reasons why having Underwood pay his dues and learn his ropes behind a veteran in Keene is the ideal route. But a blueblood of this ilk cannot go another season drifting in mediocrity. It remains to be seen where Moore and Lindsey land with this decision come fall. That said, Chip Lindsey is fanning the flames of Underwood. An update from spring camp, coupled with a Michigan insider’s cosigning it, does feed into the notion Bryce is ready.
Worries about Bryce Underwood from a physical standpoint may be moot
During a presser post-spring practice, Chip Lindsey said, “So far, I love [Bryce Underwood’s] approach. He’s all business, man. He loves football. That’s the most important thing. He really wants to be the best player he can be. He wants people to push him. One of the things we’ve talked about was, ‘Whatever your dreams are, your aspirations, they’re gonna be mine. My goal is to help you reach those things. Whatever it takes.’ And I think that’s what his attitude is. He’s a team-first guy.”
Those are some rather positive words. Given the media frenzy around Underwood, his OC acknowledging he’s putting his head down and working hard bodes well for him. But intangibles are only one facet of what goes into being a QB ready for the mantle. What about Bryce’s tangibles?
Bryce Underwood came into Ann Arbor at 6’4″, 208 lb. He’s got the length, but he probably needed a few pounds to contend with what B1G defenses will throw at him. He’s now up to 220lb. This was relayed over the “ROC Boys Football” platform. Try hard enough and you can probably year defensive coordinators around the country kiss their teeth. The host, a dialed-in Wolverines’ fan with sources at the program, even said he believes Bryce Underwood is the “most talented quarterback out of high school since Trevor Lawrence.”
That’s some praise. Gatorade National POTY Lawrence was a problem at Clemson. Sherrone Moore and Michigan fans will probably snatch your arm if you offered them that exact trajectory for Underwood. A Natty winner and No.1 pick in the NFL Draft. From there on, let’s just say the jury is still out on Trevor.
If Bryce Underwood has put on some muscle, it’s scary what kind of frame he could possess by fall. Suspend disbelief and assume he’s physically ready. He’s already perceived to be the more skilled quarterback than Mikey Keene. The only real issue remains experience. Which is uber-important. Enough to tip the scales back towards Keene. But it’s noteworthy that Keene doesn’t have any experience in the Big 10 either. Which is a different kettle of fish. Alas, there are fair arguments on both sides. Sherrone Moore isn’t in an envious position with this one.
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