Of course, every Michigan fan and their mother is hoping that Bryce Underwood will ball out this season, win a Heisman as a freshman, and lead the Wolverines back to the National Championship. However, Sherrone Moore is making sure everyone knows that Michigan doesn't have a starting quarterback yet, and one specific thing will decide it.
At Big Ten Media Days, Moore talked about the quarterback situation, and he was very clear that the race for the starting position is still wide open between Underwood, Mikey Keene, and Jadyn Davis. While it seems like a no-brainer to make Underwood the starter, especially with how much Michigan is paying him, he still needs to be ready to lead this team.
"Before anyone asks, it's an open competition," Moore said. "There is no starter, when they 'have the team' we'll know we have our starter."
Based on Moore's comments about the situation, it doesn't seem like this will come down to talent on the field. All three guys are very talented on the field, but Keene is a veteran and has experience, while Underwood is coming in completely new to college football. It seems like what will decide this competition is who will "have the team," most likely meaning whoever can lead the team to the best of their ability will be Michigan's starter.
Michigan’s Sherrone Moore on QB1: “Before anyone asks, it’s an open competition. There is no starter. When they ‘have the team’ we’ll know we have our starter”
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 24, 2025
There is no doubt that Underwood is talented and can throw a football better than most people, but with only one game, and that being the spring game, under his belt, the team could want a veteran playcaller to start the season.
Keene is exactly the veteran Michigan could have hoped for. With experience being thrown into a game as a young quarterback while at UCF, to being the starter from the start of the season at Fresno State, Keene knows his way around college football now. Yes, the veteran gunslinger has been dealing with an injury this offseason, but there is a belief he will be ready come fall camp.
So while everyone wants to see Underwood playing in a Michigan uniform this season, the fans probably also want the Wolverines' best chance at winning it all again, and that could be Underwood sitting for a year and then taking over next year after Keene is gone.