What Northwestern coach David Braun said about Michigan, what's 'scary' about QB Bryce Underwood

Northwestern football is 5-4 overall, one win away from bowl eligibility, set to wrap up the regular season with clashes against Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois. The Wolverines will come to Chicago for a matchup at Wrigley Field, with the two teams battling for the George Jewett Trophy, in honor of the first-ever African-American student-athlete at both schools.

“Excited to celebrate a trailblazer in college football in George Jewett this weekend, competing for the George Jewett Trophy against Michigan,” Northwestern head coach David Braun said at his Monday press conference.

Michigan ranks No. 21 in the College Football Playoff rankings but will likely move up multiple spots in Tuesday’s release. The Wolverines still see a path to the 12-team field, but they’ll have to win out against Northwestern, Maryland and Ohio State to have a shot.

“Michigan’s a really good football team, 7-2. [Head] Coach [Sherrone] Moore has done a great job,” Braun said.

“They’re running the football at a really high level. Young, very talented quarterback that has started to settle in and is playing at a really high level. And when things do break down for him, extremely scary when he starts to utilize his legs and take off with the football.

“The job that they’ve done at Michigan over the years — and specifically the last two — on defense is a really impressive unit overall.

“Really balanced football team, really well-coached in all three phases and a great challenge for us as a program getting back at home and the challenge of facing a really, really good Big Ten opponent.”

The Wildcats have played at Wrigley Field — the home of the MLB’s Chicago Cubs — three times during Braun’s tenure, which began in 2023. During that span, Northwestern is 0-3, with losses to Ohio State (31-7) and Illinois (38-28) in 2024 and a setback to to Iowa (10-7) in 2023.

Braun’s group is 4-1 at home this season, with the lone blemish to Oregon Sept. 13 (34-14), but those tilts were all at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium, a temporary venue that’s held most of the home games until the new Ryan Field opens in 2026.

“So thankful to the Cubs for the opportunity to play a home game at Wrigley Field,” Braun said. “But secondly, I think the message and the truth is we’ve been pretty good at home this year. And we’re playing at home. That’s the reality. We say we’re Chicago’s Big Ten team; we’re playing in Chicago, playing at the friendly confines. We’re playing at home. That’s the way that we have to view this. This is an opportunity to come back home in the Big Ten and be at our best.”

There are some oddities that come with playing in the venue.

“Ultimately, I think the Cubs have just done a really good job of positioning us as the evolution has moved forward,” the Northwestern coach said. “Iowa back in ‘23 was pretty unique, being on the same sideline. But, honestly, the setup last year — unless you are really paying attention — you don’t feel any different. The sideline is slid down a little bit — it’s a little off center — but I think it positions both staffs and both teams to operate at an optimal level, and that’s a credit to everyone involved on getting that done.”

Northwestern has to clean up tackling woes, contain Bryce Underwood

According to PFF, Northwestern has missed 17 tackles each of the last two games, an area of concern. The Wolverines boast the nation’s 12th-best rushing attack at 223.7 yards per contest, so that’s an area of focus this week.

“We have to tackle better,” Braun admitted. “I know we emphasize it in practice. We’re not taking our foot off the gas in terms of the way that we approach it.

“Michigan will certainly challenge that. We’re going to have to play better on Saturday.”

Michigan freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood who’s not only rushed for 272 yards and 4 touchdowns but can also get on the run and throw the ball downfield. Getting pressure on Underwood, who’s completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 1,671 yards and 7 touchdowns with 3 picks, is crucial, but so is keeping him in the pocket.

“It is a tight rope that you have to walk,” Braun said. “Ultimately, Purdue early in the game brings a great pressure in a third-down situation, edge blitzer kind of ducks underneath a block. Bryce gets just a little glimmer of space to take the edge and takes off with his feet. Those are the things that frustrate you as a defensive play-caller.

“You feel like you’ve put your team in a really good situation and ultimately a slight level of execution within your role within your defense isn’t delivered upon, and an athlete like Bryce takes off and really makes you pay for it.

“It’s finding that balance. There’s a prime example even going back to our game against USC, where I think [defensive coordinator] Tim [McGarigle] dials up the perfect timing with a pressure. USC’s quarterback feels it, our edge piece gets kind of buried in the tackle. He takes off, extends the play and makes a completion in man coverage that’s going to get completed when he has that much time against that type of pressure.

“When you’re dealing with these types of quarterbacks, these types of athletes, you can’t become passive. You have to find ways to apply pressure. But you better understand your leverage and your responsibility within the call, because you give these guys any room to avoid that, it can become very scary with it. They’re extending the play to make a throw or taking off with their feet.”

Michigan defense poses some ‘problems’

Braun was asked about a few of Michigan’s standout defenders, graduate safety Rod Moore, senior EDGE Derrick Moore and senior linebacker Jaishawn Barham, a trio of players that the coach called “problems.”

“Really good players,” Braun continued. “No. 1 specifically [Barham], I mean, just twitchy and active. High motor.

“All three present problems. At the end of the day, guys that our staff’s really aware of. You have to find this happy balance with guys like that between being aware and understanding positioning your team for success, but you can also fall into a trap of over-game planning for guys like that and then not being in rhythm as an offense, not being maybe as sound as you want to be.

“Ultimately, there are a lot of good football players on that Michigan team that can be really disruptive, but those three specifically, high, high end Big Ten football players that have bright futures ahead of them.”