New Michigan Wolverines head coach Kyle Whittingham eliminated any doubt over who his 2026 starting quarterback will be.
“Bryce [Underwood] is our clear number one,” Whittingham asserted at a press conference on Monday, according to On3. “He’s QB1, without a doubt. He has performed very well in the workouts, and not only with his athleticism but leadership-wise. He was voted one of our team captains [for the spring and summer], and he’s a guy that everyone looks to.
“The top 10 percent of your football team is critical, because if they’re hard workers and doing things right, everyone else seems to follow along. They set the pace — and Bryce has done a nice job of setting the pace.”
Whittingham added that he felt Underwood “handled” his 2025 freshman season “fairly well.”
Last season, which was Underwood’s freshman campaign, he totaled 2,428 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 126.6 passer rating, while completing 60.3% of his passes. He also rushed for 392 yards and six touchdowns.
In all, Underwood, the consensus No. 1 quarterback recruit in the Class of 2025, had trials and tribulations, perhaps highlighted by a game-winning drive against Northwestern at Wrigley Field as time expired in Week 12 — which saw him throw for a season-high 280 yards — but lowlighted by throwing for just 63 yards in a 27-9 loss at home to Ohio State in Week 14, which all but ended Michigan’s College Football Playoff aspirations.
With that said, Underwood started all 13 games for the Wolverines, who went 9-4 overall and 7-2 in Big Ten play, good for fifth in the conference.
Elsewhere in Michigan’s quarterback room, Whittingham said that four-star recruit and freshman Tommy Carr is “probably the one [quarterback] that stands out so far.”
Underwood, Carr and the Wolverines’ intrasquad Spring Game is on April 18.
