Year 1 of Bryce Underwood was everything fans weren't hoping for. The former five-star, No. 1 overall prospect barely performed to the heights fans wanted him to, but let's also think about the weapons he had around him, as well as the coaching staff calling the shots. Now, Underwood will head into Year 2 like he did his first year, with a new coaching staff and new weapons around him.
The good news is that Underwood has been upgraded in the coaching department and at the positions around him. Not only does Underwood have Kyle Whittingham as his head coach, but also Jason Beck as his offensive coordinator, who was named CBS Sports' best offseason move. Underwood also has some new faces to throw to this season, something Whittingham is making sure he does more of.
In a recent interview with Rich Eisen on The Rich Eisen Show, Whittingham said the words every Michigan fan has been hoping to hear about Underwood. Not only is his development coming along nicely, but the offensive coaching staff has plans for the gunslinger to throw on the move more this season.
"You'll see he [Underwood] will move the launch point around and he will move out of the pocket," Whittingham said. "That's one thing, well there's a number of things, but that's one of the things he's really good at extending the play...to be throwing on the move as accurately as he does, if we didn't implement that, we would be stupid."
Michigan football's HC Kyle Whittingham gives a little insight into how Bryce Underwood will be utilized this season ⬇️
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) July 27, 2026
(via @RichEisenShow) pic.twitter.com/FAK12pJKEE
Kyle Whittingham's subtle dig at former Michigan coaching staff isn't too far off
Something Michigan fans were so excited to see from Underwood last season was his dual-threat ability. Coming as the No. 1 overall prospect in his recruiting class, Underwood had a fantastic ability not just to throw the ball, but to be effective on the move. His accuracy when throwing on the run was astounding, and seeing him do it in a Michigan uniform has fans believing in championships again.
In his first season, though, Underwood wasn't throwing a lot on the run; he stayed primarily in the pocket as a dropback quarterback. The key to Underwood's talent is his ability to move, and it's clear that Whittingham and his staff see that and plan to make good use of it.
Whittingham actually threw some subtle shade at the former coaching staff with his comments about Underwood throwing more on the run this season. The 66-year-old head coach may not have meant to, but when he says that the coaching staff 'would be stupid not to' when it comes to having Underwood throw more on the move this next season, it feels pointed at the former staff.
Underwood underperformed in his first season; there is no arguing that, as he only threw for 2,428 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He has a 60.3% completion rate, but wide receiver drops hurt him a lot in 2025. Underwood had six rushing touchdowns and 392 rushing yards, proving he is comfortable with his feet moving.
The accuracy is there for Underwood, and now with new wide receivers around him and Andrew Marsh with a year of experience under his belt, Underwood could break out this season. Fans should still temper expectations, as this is a new dynamic with the coaching staff, but Whittingham is planning to get everything he can out of his star QB.
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