Bryce Underwood’s freshman season at Michigan was a rollercoaster - flashes of brilliance, moments of struggle, and a whole lot of learning on the fly. Now, as he heads into Year 2, expectations are rising fast in Ann Arbor, and with good reason. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit, one of the most respected voices in college football, sees a big leap on the horizon for the Wolverines’ young quarterback - and that could mean everything for Michigan in 2026.
“I think he’s going to have a massive jump - you would expect,” Herbstreit said this week. And he’s not wrong to set the bar high.
Underwood was thrown into the fire as an 18-year-old, trying to navigate a Michigan offense that never quite found its rhythm last season. It was a unit that took two steps forward, one step back - and more often than not, the inconsistencies showed.
Let’s be honest: Michigan’s offense struggled to stretch the field. The Wolverines finished 58th in total offense and a disappointing 105th in passing.
That lack of vertical threat left Underwood with few clean opportunities to make plays downfield. Herbstreit pointed out the obvious - Michigan “didn’t really have any receivers.”
That’s not a knock on the players as much as it is a reflection of how limited the offense was in terms of explosive playmakers on the outside.
Underwood’s numbers tell the story of a young quarterback learning on the job. In the final six games, he threw four touchdowns against seven interceptions and was sacked 12 times.
On the season, he finished with 2,428 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, nine picks, and a 60.3% completion rate. He added 393 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground - a clear sign of his dual-threat potential, even as the passing game sputtered.
But here’s where things get interesting: this offseason brings change - and opportunity. Michigan has a new offensive coordinator in Jason Beck, who arrives from Utah with a strong track record developing dual-threat quarterbacks. Just last year, Beck helped Devon Dampier thrive, guiding him to 24 passing touchdowns, five interceptions, and nearly 850 rushing yards with 10 scores on the ground.
That’s the kind of system that could unlock Underwood’s full potential. He’s already shown he can make plays with his legs. Now, with a coach who understands how to build an offense around a mobile quarterback, the pieces are in place for a breakout.
“I think he’s going to kind of take off this offseason,” Herbstreit said. “They’re going to have an offseason to study him and where his sweet spot is - where he can really play well.”
It’s not just Herbstreit who’s bullish on Underwood’s future. Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham echoed the optimism, calling Underwood’s ceiling “so high” and praising Beck as a master at quarterback development.
“Jason will make sure we smooth out some of the mechanics and some of the things he does need to work on,” Whittingham said. And that’s the key - because the raw talent is there.
The arm strength, the mobility, the instincts - it’s all part of the package. What Underwood needs now is refinement, consistency, and a system that plays to his strengths.
The good news for Michigan fans? That’s exactly what he’s walking into. A second year in the program, a new offensive mind in Beck, and a full offseason to build chemistry and confidence - it’s all setting the stage for a big step forward.
If Underwood makes that jump - if he becomes the quarterback Michigan believes he can be - then the Wolverines become a very different team in 2026. One with a dynamic offense to match their always-stout defense. One with a real shot to make noise in the Big Ten and beyond.
The tools are there. The coaching is in place.
Now it’s up to Underwood to take the leap. And if he does?
Watch out.