Bryce Underwood is walking into Year 2 at Michigan with a very different setup around him, and that may matter as much as anything else for the Wolverines in 2026.
A season ago, Underwood was asked to handle the job without dedicated quarterback coaching guiding him through every step. He was young, raw, and put into the fire with the idea that his talent could carry him. The growing pains showed up in the numbers and on tape: nine interceptions, plus too many throws off his back foot.
Now, the environment has changed. Jason Beck is in Ann Arbor, bringing an offense that figures to spread the field more than Michigan fans are used to. Koy Detmer Jr. is there as the quarterbacks coach, giving the room the kind of hands-on help Underwood didn’t have before.
Detmer knows Beck’s system well, having traveled alongside the offensive coordinator, and on Tuesday he laid out what the job really demands inside that offense. It’s not just about arm strength. The quarterback has to be complete - someone who can beat defenses through the air, create with his legs, and make sharp decisions.
“Like we've always mentioned, you always would love a guy that, and I think at this level, you've got to be in the elite level, throw the ball, and throwing and catching,” Detmer Jr. said. “But you also - it helps when you have a guy that can hurt you with their legs, and being able to add plus one runs in the run game.
“In the passing game, nothing's perfect, and you're able to cover things up, scramble around, and make opportunities where they are. And so, I think having a guy that has both of those, can hurt you with his arm and his legs, as well as, you know, the decision making is huge. Like, playing in play out, are you helping us make great decisions to help us move the ball, not put in harm's way, and keep us out of those long third downs where now you're gonna be less efficient.
“And so, from a decision making standpoint, gotta be a great decision maker, and then being able to do it with both your arm and your legs.”
That description fits the kind of season Michigan needs from Underwood if this new version of the offense is going to click. He has the tools, and the staff around him now is built to sharpen them.
The first chance to see how it looks comes Saturday, Sept. 5, when Michigan opens against Western Michigan. The real early stress test arrives quickly after that, with Oklahoma waiting in Week 2.
In Other News...
Michigan Suddenly Has An Early Concern With Brandon McCoy Jr
A promising start to Michigans Summer Tour took an unsettling turn almost immediately when freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. was injured about 20 seconds into an exhibition against Serbian club Mega Superbet. He had to be carried off the court, and while the program has not yet disclosed the nature of the injury, the early read is that it could be serious enough to merit real concern.
McCoy arrived with expectations of being part of Michigans lineup plans for the upcoming season, so the timing is especially difficult for a team trying to use the tour to build momentum and clarity. Even before any official update on his condition, the Wolverines are now left waiting to find out whether a preseason setback has become a much larger issue. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Underwood Just Landed In Another Elite Quarterback Spotlight
As the 2026 college football season starts to take shape, another elite quarterback has joined the growing NIL arms race. Oregons Dante Moore has signed a deal with Celsius, putting him alongside a small group of high-profile players the energy drink company is using to sell its brand, including Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood, Texas wide receiver Cam Coleman and Ohio State receiver Chris Henry Jr.
The move adds another notable line to Moores already busy off-field portfolio, which has included partnerships with T-Mobile, DoorDash and Nike. He is also one of the cover stars of EA College Football 27, a reminder of how quickly the sports top names are becoming marketing fixtures before they even settle into the heart of their college careers. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Already Has A Freshman Injury Concern Fans Will Watch
Michigans overseas exhibition tour was supposed to give the Wolverines an early look at their new pieces, but it has already become a test of depth and durability. Center Moustapha Thiam left the first game early with an injury and sat out the next two, while Trey McKenney missed the second game before returning for the third, offering at least one reminder that the group is still juggling availability as it tries to build rhythm.
The bigger concern came in the third game, when five-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. suffered an apparent right foot injury early and never made it back to the bench. Ricky Liburd also was absent from the roster for that matchup and is presumed to be injured, leaving Michigan with more questions than answers as the trip continues and the staff waits to see how much of its freshman core will be ready once the games start to matter for real. [Read more 🡒]