Kirk Herbstreit expects a massive jump from Bryce Underwood in 2026: 'He's gonna take off'

Michigan is going through a ton of changes this offseason, mainly in the coaching department. Kyle Whittingham steps into the role after a successful career at Utah. Plenty of things in Ann Arbor will look different heading into 2026, except the quarterback position.

Bryce Underwood won the job as a true freshman and is going to be Michigan’s guy moving forward. But in order to find team success, he is going to need to take a leap forward. There are plenty believing he can do so, including ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit.

“I think he’s going to have a massive jump, you would expect,” Herbstreit said via Crain & Cone. “There are times when, if you’re just evaluating him, you have to be careful of just walking away with really concrete thoughts of a guy that’s playing as an 18-year-old and an offense that would take two steps forward, one step back. They didn’t really have any receivers… I think he’s going to kind of take off this offseason. I think they’re going to have an offseason to study him and where his sweetspot is, where he can really play well.”

Underwood played in all 13 games for Michigan, throwing for 2,428 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Efficacy was not the best from a throwing standpoint, completing just a smidge over 60% of throws. His feet were a big part of the equation too, adding 392 yards and six touchdowns on 88 carries. Just looking at the stats, it’s easy to tell there is a lot to work on.

If there is an area Herbstreit has a ton of confidence when it comes to Underwood, it’s the off-field aspect of being a quarterback. Herbstreit’s son, Chase, is currently a quarterback for Michigan. No better source on the matter, having glowing reviews from within.

“My own son cannot say enough good things about him,” Herbstreit said. “Which tells me a lot about the way the locker room feels about him and his work ethic and his approach to his job. Which, I love.”

Bryce Underwood played high school football at Belleville (MI), where he was a Five-Star Plus+ prospect. He was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Expectations for Underwood always have and always will be sky high due to his ranking. Herbstreit believes the 2026 season will be where it finally begins to show.