Sherrone Moore on plan for Michigan QB Bryce Underwood going forward: 'We're going to let him play, and play free'

Michigan Wolverines football freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood continues to climb, and there are more levels to reach. The 6-foot-4, 228-pounder has been steady through his first four games, leading the Wolverines to a 3-1 record, while expectations continue to grow.

The Detroit native has completed 56.9 percent of his passes for 733 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also rushing 22 times for 169 yards and 3 scores. For the most part, ball security has been sound, with Underwood throwing an interception against Central Michigan and losing a fumble versus Nebraska but otherwise taking care of it.

“Just keep getting better,” head coach Sherrone Moore said of what the next step is for Underwood on the ‘Inside Michigan Football’ radio show. “The kid just is constantly working, constantly striving to get better, and he’s going to continue do that.

“We’re going to let him play, and play free, and play loose, and have fun doing it. And he does that. Whenever he touches the football field or gets in the facility, there’s always a smile on his face, there’s always a glimmer in his eye of wanting to get better at football. He’s starting to do that even more and more. He’s got immense talent, and just excited for him to show it as we go through this season.”

A big talking point in the early season was Underwood’s usage in the run game. He had only 2 non-sack rushing attempts in the first two games, but has run 16 times not including sacks in the last two. He’s broken out with 3 touchdowns over the last two contests.

According to Moore, Michigan is going to keep using Underwood’s full skill set. The primary goal is to win, and keeping everybody healthy comes after that.

“I think the biggest thing that we look at as a staff is you want to win, so we have to do everything that we can in each game plan to win,” Moore noted. “And if sometimes it’s running him, we’ll run him. If it’s dropback pass and doing this and play-action pass … it’s whatever that recipe is for that game, we know we’ve got to go do to go win the game.”

Michigan’s receivers have dropped 10 passes this season, according to Sports Info Solutions, which is tied for the 12th most in the Power Four, and reeling in catches has been a focus for the group over the last couple weeks. That’s opened up competition in the wide receiver room, too, allowing for someone like freshman Andrew Marsh to emerge.

“The guy that stands out the most in that phase is Andrew Marsh,” Moore said. “He’s a guy that had a [rushing] touchdown, his first touchdown, in the Central game, had his first catch, I think, then, and made plays throughout that. So, I look forward to seeing what he does the rest of the week. I’m really challenging and pushing him, because he’s a younger guy with a lot of talent, but you’ve got to go do it on the practice field.”

Michigan’s starters at wideout — graduate Donaven McCulley, junior Semaj Morgan and sophomore Channing Goodwin — still need to be relied upon, though.

“I’m expecting for those guys to play at a high level, and we’re just continuing to compete, especially Donaven,” Moore said of Michigan’s leading receiver with 13 catches for 197 yards. “There are some things we can do to continue to put him in position to make some plays. When those plays are there and presented, he’s got to go do it, and I think he will. We’ll see as we go through this week.”