Bryce Underwood to lead 'starving' Michigan football team into battle

Upon taking the podium for his press conference ahead of Saturday’s season-opener against New Mexico, Michigan Wolverines football head coach Sherrone Moore didn’t need to be asked, and didn’t really even have to give the answer:

Freshman Bryce Underwood — the No. 1 overall recruit and a five-star+ recruit in the 2025 class — is the starting quarterback. The answer was obvious.

“Yes, Bryce Underwood will be our starting quarterback,” Moore said. “He’s earned the opportunity. It was not given to him.

“All of the other quarterbacks had a really good camp as well. I really thought [sophomore] Jadyn Davis has come along and taken the next steps. He’ll be the No. 2 behind him, but Bryce has taken the necessary steps to take the position.”

Graduate students Mikey Keene and Davis Warren are both working back from injuries, but will provide depth upon their return. Keene may even dart up to the No. 2 spot on the depth chart, and he’s been progressing well.

But it’s all about No. 19, Underwood, the 6-foot-4, 228-pound specimen who turned 18 years old last Tuesday.

“He took ownership of his abilities, took ownership of the team and became a leader on the team,” Michigan’s head coach said. “He’s a guy that guys look to, and he just does things the right way. Used his skills, and for a young guy, doesn’t try to do too much. He’s still gonna make mistakes, but that’s what we’re here for — coaches and players are all going to support him as he goes on this journey and we go on this journey together.”

Underwood is “mature beyond his years,” just about every coach and player in the Michigan program has said. While excited, he had a mature reaction when he was officially informed that he’ll start behind center.

“I told them all yesterday,” Moore said of telling the team. “He was as calm as he always is.

“I think his dad was a little bit more excited and emotional about it than Bryce was. He was very happy, though. Bryce is a very even-keeled kid. He doesn’t get too high or too low, but he was very excited about the opportunity, and said that’s why he came here, to be that guy. Not given the opportunity because he earned it.

“Dad said he might shed a tear on Saturday. I’m sure he will. I’m sure mom will, too.”

Earlier in August, Moore saw what he wanted to from Michigan’s freshman to believe he could be the first guy in the game.

“Probably halfway through camp,” Moore said on when he thought Underwood could start. “I was like, ‘Ahh, this guy’s pretty good. I think this guy might be the guy.’

“We had a scrimmage, and I think it was the first time we went into the stadium. He made a couple throws, and I just looked at [offensive coordinator] Chip [Lindsey], and he just nodded at me. I looked at [associate head] Coach [Biff] Poggi, who was behind me. And I was like, ‘Yeah, I think this is the guy.’

“But you wanted to see him do that every day, every practice, every time we went into the stadium.

“Have I seen a freshman like him, a quarterback? Not that I can imagine. Not that I can think of. He’s only the fourth freshman to start at quarterback here, so not very many.”

Underwood joins Rick Leach, Chad Henne and Tate Forcier as a freshman starting quarterback in the season opener, and he takes over in a unique situation.

Michigan had dismal quarterback play and an ineffective offense last season, but Underwood gives fans, teammates and coaches hope that there will be massive improvement on that side of the ball in 2025. The Wolverines posted an 8-5 record last season, nowhere near making the College Football Playoff, and have been motivated to make sure that this year they’re closer to reaching the ultimate prize of the program’s 13th national title.

“They’re just ready and excited to play,” Moore said of his troops. “There’s a chip on their shoulder, for sure, because they’ve continually said that is not the standard, that’s not how we play.”

Senior linebacker Ernest Hausmann, a team captain, recently spoke to the team and described their motivation using a reference to his time visiting his home country of Uganda.

“Ernest Hausmann said to the team — ’we are starving. We are not hungry. We are starving,'” Moore said. “He referenced going back to his homeland and seeing people eat and how fast they eat because they’re starving and not hungry.

“I think our kids are starving. They’re starving to be successful. They’re starving to be great. I just can’t wait to watch them play. I know we play on Saturday, but I wish it was tomorrow, because I think they’d be ready to go.”

Moore and the college football world will have to wait five more days until Michigan runs out of the eastern tunnel at The Big House and Underwood takes the first snap behind center, but it’s happening, and soon.