Offense notes: Michigan vows to lean more on QB Bryce Underwood: 'We’re not taking the air out of the ball ever again'

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Michigan football offense was largely ineffective in a 24-13 loss to Oklahoma last week, but the Wolverines have turned a new leaf. U-M leaned heavily on the running back ground game but didn’t have much success other than a 75-yard touchdown from junior running back Justice Haynes, but the Maize and Blue have learned their lesson.

Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood — the No. 1 overall recruit in the country in 2025 — is behind center, and Michigan will give him more responsibilities, as both a runner and thrower, going forward.

That was on display in the team’s dominant, 63-3 victory over Central Michigan Saturday at The Big House. Underwood led Michigan in both passing (16-of-25, 235 yards, 1 TD) and rushing (9 carries, 114 yards, 2 TD).

“It’s an explosive offense,” said acting head coach Biff Poggi, who’s currently standing in for the suspended Sherrone Moore. “It was designed to be an explosive offense, and up-tempo offense. You don’t know where the football is coming from. You can get reverses, you can get any different kind of short throws, there’s long runs, a multitude for runs from gap schemes to zones, inside and outside zone. There’s as robust screen game, which you didn’t really see today. So, it’s a really hard offense to stop.”

But, of course, it didn’t look that way against the Sooners. Michigan gained just 288 total yards in a dismal performance behind a game plan predicated on running the ball well, chewing the clock and not turning it over.

“I understand what the next question is going to be,” Poggi continued. “We thought at Oklahoma we would take the air out of the ball, because they are an air raid offense. And we’re not taking the air out of the ball ever again. Not with this guy taking snaps.”

This guy would be Underwood, the 6-foot-4, 228-pound Detroit native who showed his complete skill set — with room to grow — against the Chippewas. Underwood’s 114 rushing yards are the most by a Michigan quarterback in a game since Devin Gardner recorded 121 in a 43-30 four-overtime win over Penn State Oct. 12, 2013. Underwood’s 18-yard cutback scramble on fourth down at the end of the third quarter wasn’t a designed run, but showed his ability to make plays even when they’re not there.

“Went over our loss from last week, and just realized how much of a difference I can make if I use my legs more, so whenever the opportunity presents itself, I presented it,” Underwood said.

“Sherrone really wanted to open things up with him a little bit when he felt it was the right time to do so,” Poggi added. “He was young, and you want to kid of steer him into it. [Offensive coordinator] Chip Lindsey really took that mandate and I think did a great job. Bryce is just … so it was a plan to get him using his legs a little bit more, but I have a Labrador Retriever who could coach that guy. He’s unbelievable.”

“It’s critical, because what he does is he does not … when a quarterback can extend a play. You’re a defense, you play two plays really well and you think you’re getting off the field and this kid extends the play with his legs. Those plays are heartbreaking for defenses. It takes a lot out of you, and it breaks your spirit a little bit. 

“Boy, he’s gifted. You all saw that. But he is so gifted. I’m glad we got him.”

The Wolverines had tremendous rushing success in general, going for 381 yards, with Haynes adding 104 and a touchdown of his own. The threat of Underwood keeping the football helps out the backs, too.

“It opens up gaps,” sophomore running back Jordan Marshall said. “He’s pulling defenders off the back side of runs.”

Michigan’s ‘dominant’ offensive performance

Eight different Michigan players had a rushing attempt, 7 receivers were targeted, three quarterbacks earned snaps and the team didn’t punt. This was a thorough beating, and an excellent performance by the Michigan offense.

“We’re a dominant team. That’s really what we are,” Underwood said of the identity of the Michigan offense. “There’s no other way to put it. We’re going to dominate every way possible. Whatever we get thrown at us, we’re going to give back what we need to.”

The Wolverines put up 63 points for the first time since a 63-10 win over Northern Illinois Sept. 18, 2021. Their 616 total yards was the most by a Michigan offense since putting up 660 in a 59-3 triumph at Maryland Nov. 5, 2016.

The Wolverines did all of that without their starting offensive guards — graduate Giovanni El-Hadi (left) and junior Brady Norton (right).

“We preach that when one person comes out, the next person comes in and we don’t miss a beat,” said sophomore right tackle Andrew Sprague. “I think we didn’t miss a beat today.”

Miscellaneous Michigan football offense notes

• Underwood included, five Michigan players scored the first touchdowns of their career, with Marshall, freshman Andrew Marsh, freshman Jasper Parker and junior Bryson Kuzdzal being the others. Even when the deep reserves were in the game, the Wolverines delivered on the ground.

• Haynes posted his third consecutive 100-yard game to begin the season, the longest such streak since Blake Corum recorded eight straight 100-yard efforts in 2022.

• Underwood’s performance was the first time a U-M quarterback rushed for multiple touchdowns in a game since J.J. McCarthy had two against Minnesota in 2023.

• Seven different Michigan players scored touchdowns on offense.

• Michigan’s 35 points and 362 first-half yards were its most since 2022. That year, U-M posted 410 first-half yards against Hawaii and 38 first-half points against UConn in consecutive weeks.

• Michigan had eight plays of 20-plus yards — four rushing and four passing.

• The honorary captain for today’s game was Jim Brandstatter. A Wolverine offensive guard from 1969-72, Brandstatter was in the U-M Radio Booth from 1979-2021 as the color analyst and later the play-by-play voice of the Maize and Blue.