After a whole offseason spent wondering what Michigan football would look like with the buzz growing about Kyle Whittingham's arrival, fans are finally about to find out. There is one player everyone will have their eyes on, and, even with all the change in Ann Arbor, it's a familiar face.
There has been a lot of talk about quarterback Bryce Underwood, who performed below expectations as a true freshman in 2025. Underwood came to Michigan as the No. 1 overall prospect in his class and a five-star recruit earning a lot of NIL money, and now it's time for him to show why the Wolverines fought so hard to land his commitment.
There has been much talk about Underwood's progress this offseason and the noticeable improvement he showed in fall camp. Well, with Week 1 officially here, former Michigan tight end Jake Butt has a little piece of advice for the Michigan gunslinger.
"He is going to be buzzing, he is going to be excited, he's gonna want to show the world how talented he is," Butt said on The Big Ten Network. "The challenge for Underwood will be: you don't have to prove anything in Week 1, you go out there and do all the basics well."
"What I'm most excited to see is his legs." @Jbooty88 shares his thoughts on Michigan QB Bryce Underwood entering Year 2 👇 pic.twitter.com/U0yKaiotGM
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) August 30, 2026
The Bryce Underwood expectations need to be tempered in Week 1 vs. Western Michigan
It would be a dream if Bryce Underwood went out in Week 1 and threw for 350 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions, but let's face it, he doesn't need to. Butt hit the nail perfectly on the head by saying that Underwood doesn't need to show everything in Week 1.
It is not outlandish to say that new Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham won't unleash the entire playbook against Western Michigan. While the Broncos are not a team to sleep on after going 10-4 last season, the Wolverines have bigger fish to fry, especially in Week 2 when No. 10 Oklahoma comes to town.
Why show all your cards in Week 1? Underwood simply needs to go out there and do the basic stuff well. Take care of the football, make smart plays, use his feet to get himself comfortable in the new offense, and lead Michigan to a comfortable win. That is all Underwood really needs to do.
To be completely honest, the best game for Underwood isn't a complete one against Western Michigan. What I mean by that is Underwood shouldn't be playing in the fourth quarter. Michigan should build enough of a lead with the offense clicking and the defense shutting things down that Whittingham feels comfortable pulling Underwood and allowing his backups to continue their battle.
Underwood probably won't have a stellar stat line against Western Michigan, and it shouldn't be expected either. The sophomore needs to keep some things close to the vest and get ready to unleash everything against Oklahoma in Week 2.
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