Greg McElroy believes Bryce Underwood, Michigan will bounce back from Week 2 loss

Michigan took their first loss of the season in a ranked matchup at Oklahoma on Saturday. Even so, pending some offensive growth and improvement from the maize & blue, Greg McElroy isn’t worried about the Wolverines coming out of what happened in Norman.

On ‘Always College Football’ on Monday, McElroy provided ten takeaways coming out of week two. After first applauding the Sooners, McElroy’s second was that the Wolverines will be alright despite the 24-13 loss.

“Takeaway #2 – Michigan is going to be just fine,” McElroy said.

Of course, much of the optimism around Michigan relates to QB Bryce Underwood, the true freshman who made his second-ever start this past weekend against OU. As for Underwood, McElroy sees the potential already as a quarterback who “is going to be a star”. That said, McElroy knew that Saturday wasn’t their night considering the issues the Wolverines’ offense, at least at this point of the season, had against the defense for OU.

“Watching that game back? We’ll start with what they have on the offensive side, and we’ll start with Bryce Underwood’s performance. You’re going to watch and look at the 9-24 for 142 and you’re going to say, ‘That’s just not a winning stat line!’. But there were some really positive moments,” said McElroy. “There were a couple times in which he took advantage of Oklahoma, who would uncover when he scrambles to his right and a guy is open down field. That shows poise. That shows feel. A lot of young quarterbacks in that scenario? They become a runner and they never come back to being a passer. Bryce Underwood kept his eyes downfield, hit what would have been an eight, nine-yard run. Instead, it’s a 25-plus yard throw. That was really encouraging. I also thought he threw a really nice ball down the right sideline on the move as well. He also played and had some moments where he really felt like a freshman. There were some misses. There were a couple throws in which I don’t think it was the best decision to throw it in that direction.

“I think Bryce Underwood is going to be a star. I really believe that. His makeup, his willingness to cut it loose? Didn’t agree with every decision he made in the game. And I felt like the offensive play calling, for the most part? It was a little conservative. But, I understand that. You have a young player. You trust your defense. You don’t want to put too much on his shoulders. I think he’s capable of more. There wasn’t just a won of traditional drop back, read it out, pure progression stuff. That’s okay. It’ll get there. I know it’s in the offense. But, if you look at the Oklahoma defensive plan, they were completely selling out against the run. Most of the game, they had safeties that were playing eight, ten yards deep at the absolute most. And, the Wolverines kind of demonstrated a bit of a lack of willingness to just take some shots downfield. Maybe it has to do with the fact that they don’t really love their wide receivers. I think they have a couple guys that are alright. I don’t know if I’d go as far as to say any of their wideouts are true, game-changing difference makers, and that’s okay. That’s at this point. Maybe, here in two weeks, they develop a little more rapport, there’s a little more chemistry, there’s a little bit more trust that the staff has with Bryce Underwood and with that group as a whole.”

That’s now the one concern moving forward for him when it comes to Michigan. At just 23.5 points per game on an average of 6.0 yards per play, and at 7.1 yards per pass attempt by Underwood, McElroy wonders if the Wolverines are going to have enough firepower this season, especially with the run game, offensive line, and defense all in place around the passing game led by the Five-Star+ freshman.

“But, I kind of look at it, man? They’re going to have to be able to manufacture some big plays. They’re going to have to be able to manufacture off play-action,” said McElroy. “They run it well, they’re too good up front to not be able to challenge downfield. But, against great defensive personnel, how much will Michigan be able to move the football? If you look at some of the teams that are on their schedule, if they can’t develop a little bit more aggressiveness offensively, how are they going to keep up with the likes of an Ohio State, who we know, defensively, is off the charts good this year?…They’re going to have to score.

“If they want to win national championships, they’re going to have to score. Right now, there are some concerns about them being able to do that right now. When you look at Michigan, I think they’re going to have to be able to develop some offensive continuity. Because, if they can’t just break off 75-yard runs, will they be able to methodically move their way down the field? That’s something I look forward to watching.”

Michigan has a lot of promise based on what they’ve shown through two games with their new quarterback in Underwood. McElroy now wants to see how that, specifically in the pass attacks, developed throughout this season in Ann Arbor.

“I don’t think all is lost for them,”said McElroy.