Bryce Underwood hasn't met expectations yet as the Michigan football starting quarterback, but the former five-star recruit continues to do everything he can to fulfill the massive expectations placed upon him.
As an 18-year old starter for Michigan football last season, Underwood had some ups and downs. That's understandable. The concern was that he didn't take a drastic step forward as the season went along. At times, it felt like he was moving backward.
The bowl game was promising. There were some turnovers, but there were flashes, too. Watch the Wisconsin game, or the Washington game if you want to see what Underwood can be. That's with a wide receiver room that's not as good as this season's, plus no dedicated QB coach.
There are plenty of reasons to feel better about his development path. Yes, the spring game didn't inspire confidence in Michigan football fans, but it was nine passes, and it's not like Underwood was playing behind the first-string offensive line.
Regardless of all that, it's way too early to start acting like Underwood is some kind of bust. He averaged 218 total yards per game last season and accounted for 17 touchdowns. A lot of other true freshmen, including Dante Moore, have looked a lot worse.
Bryce Underwood training with QB guru in an effort to improve
The coaching Underwood gets at Michigan has and will be better this season. Yet, Underwood is going beyond that, spending time with QB guru Jordan Palmer this offseason, working alongside Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
#Michigan QB Bryce Underwood recently was training with QB Summit consultant/former NFL QB Jordan Palmer along with current @Bengals QB Joe Burrows via his IG pic.twitter.com/Qh4fYhIVyf
— Brice Marich (@BriceMarich) May 5, 2026
You have to admire the work Underwood is doing to improve. He's not resting on his laurels. He wants to the best version of himself and Michigan football fans have to hope that comes through this season.
If it does, Michigan could quickly turn into a contender. That's one of the reasons Kyle Whittingham took the job. He knows what Underwood can become. Working with guys like Palmer will help shore up mechanics, and once that's all improved, the natural ability of Bryce should take over.
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