Bryce Underwood’s offseason has been about more than just getting stronger or throwing more passes. The Michigan quarterback spent the spring and summer tightening every part of his game, with a sharper offensive setup around him and a chance to learn from one of the NFL’s best in Joe Burrow.
That work started inside a revamped coaching structure. Head coach Kyle Whittingham and the new offensive staff brought a more organized focus to Underwood’s mechanics, footwork and vision. Quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer Jr. worked with him one-on-one to clean up his throwing platforms and quicken his progressions, while offensive coordinator Jason Beck built a system meant to maximize Underwood’s dual-threat ability.
The biggest eye-opener, though, came during workouts with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, arranged through Jordan Palmer. Underwood got to watch Burrow operate up close and came away focused as much on the mental side as the physical one.
"It was amazing just to watch how calm he was at all times," Underwood noted when reflecting on the experience. "It was really refreshing to see the things I could take from him."
That lesson carried real weight for Underwood: processing pre-snap looks faster, staying composed when the pocket gets messy, and handling complex coverage without rushing the moment. That calmer approach showed up during spring drills, where his footwork looked tighter and his reads came cleaner from one play to the next.
Michigan also made sure Underwood wouldn’t be short on weapons in 2026. Alongside returning receiver Andrew Marsh, the Wolverines brought in two transfer additions in Jaime Ffrench and JJ Buchanan.
Ffrench, who came over from Texas, was a top-100 recruit and brings sharp route-running, burst after the catch and the kind of speed that can challenge defenses both inside and outside. Buchanan, a former Utah player, gives Underwood something different entirely. At 6-foot-4, he can function as both a wide receiver and a tight end, giving Michigan a huge target over the middle and in the red zone.
Underwood made it clear how much he likes what Buchanan brings to the offense: "He’s insane. I’ve been impressed with him.
He makes insane catches, he’s a really exciting player, and he doesn’t drop balls. I’m blessed to have him as one of my receivers."
The quarterback’s growth hasn’t been limited to the film room and the practice field. Summer trips up north helped build chemistry across the roster, and player-led workouts got him synced up with his new pass-catchers before fall camp even began.
Now, with a stronger offensive line in front of him, a more polished mental approach and a deeper group of receivers around him, Underwood enters his sophomore season with plenty of momentum behind him. Michigan’s offense looks built to take a real step forward, and Underwood is right at the center of it.
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A look at Michigans home touchdown patterns from the last five seasons turns up a curious Big House quirk: the Wolverines have finished slightly more drives in the north end zone than the south. The edge is slim, though, and the broader point is that both ends of Michigan Stadium have been plenty busy since 2021.
Once the lower-tier opponents are removed from the sample, the split levels out even more, which keeps the debate from becoming much more than a fun fan conversation. Still, the north end zone has been tied to a few memorable moments, and that alone is enough to keep supporters watching for where the next celebration will happen. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Linebacker Problem Has Sent The Wolverines Into The Portal
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What makes this situation worth watching is the timing. Both linebackers are still weighing whether to keep playing and neither has officially settled on a transfer decision, which leaves Michigan in the familiar spot of waiting on portal movement while trying to patch a roster need. For a program that has built its identity on physical defense, finding reinforcements at linebacker feels less like a luxury than a necessity, and the Wolverines may not be done searching if these talks stall. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Is Starting To Look Built For Big Ten Football
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The early results have been hard to miss. Before fall camp even opened, 97% of the players had posted personal bests in the major lifts, a strong sign that the bodywork is already changing the feel of the roster. For Michigan, the bigger question now is how that newly built strength translates once the games start, when the physical demands get real and every week feels like a test. [Read more 🡒]