Kyle Whittingham isn’t ready to put a ceiling on Bryce Underwood, even after the Michigan quarterback stumbled out of the gate.
The early part of Underwood’s 2026 season has not matched the hype that surrounded him in fall camp, and it also hasn’t exactly aligned with Whittingham’s willingness to push the competition at quarterback if needed. That message got sharper after Underwood’s rough Week 1 showing, when Whittingham made it clear the starting job wasn’t untouchable. But the response in Week 2 against Oklahoma gave Michigan something far better than talk: actual progress.
Whittingham, now at Michigan, said he’d take Underwood exactly as he is. On “The Triple Option” podcast with Urban Meyer, he praised the sophomore’s approach and leadership while pointing to how much room there still is for him to grow.
"He [Bryce Underwood] does things the right way, and he is still very young in the big scheme of things. I mean, he just turned 19 years old a month ago," Whittingham said on "The Triple Option" podcast with Urban Meyer. "He is the team leader, you know, he was voted by a landslide team captain, and I think the best days are ahead for Bryce."
The talk around Underwood before the season made it easy to expect fireworks right away. Instead, Michigan has seen a quarterback who has flashed the ability to make the right reads, deliver the ball cleanly and operate with solid footwork - especially on the opening drive in Week 1 - but who has also drifted back into some of the same bad habits that showed up after that.
That’s what made Week 2 so important. Underwood entered the game with pressure on him and a starter’s job that had been openly questioned, and he responded by leading the Wolverines to an upset of No.
11 Oklahoma. It wasn’t flawless, but it was a clear step forward.
And that’s the point. Underwood doesn’t need to be finished in September. There’s still plenty of time for his season to take off, and Michigan would gladly trade a fast start for the kind of steady growth that builds into something bigger later on.
The next chance comes Saturday against UTEP, a game that should give Underwood a chance to clean up some of the issues from Week 1 against Western Michigan and keep building before Big Ten play arrives.
In Other News...
Michigan Fans May Need To Rethink Pregame Plans For UTEP
Michigan fans heading into the UTEP game may need a little more flexibility in their usual Saturday routine. Michigan Athletics and public safety officials are keeping an eye on weather conditions that could affect the schedule, including possible delays to gate openings and parking access, with the university directing fans to rely on official athletics channels for the latest updates.
For a No. 19 Michigan team that is 2-0, the on-field focus remains the same, but the pregame experience may look different depending on how the weather develops. If gates do not open on time, fans are being told to stay in safe locations and wait for further guidance, a reminder that the logistics around kickoff can shift quickly even when the game itself is still on track. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Still Has One Big Concern After Another Blowout Win
Michigan kept rolling in a 52-17 win over UTEP to move to 3-0, and the final score reflected how thoroughly the Wolverines took control after shaking off a sluggish start. Early turnovers could have made things interesting, but the offense settled in and the second half turned into another convincing display, with quarterback Bryce Underwood throwing for 223 yards and two touchdowns in just three quarters.
Andrew Marsh was a bright spot again, finishing with 10 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown, giving Michigan another reliable target as the passing game found a rhythm. The defense also settled in after a few early mistakes, but even in a blowout like this, the game did not fully erase the concern that has lingered around the Wolverines through the opening stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Finally Found Some Offense But A Bigger Worry Is Growing
Michigan finally got the kind of offensive afternoon it had been waiting for, rolling past UTEP 52-17 as Bryce Underwood looked more comfortable as a passer and the unit found more rhythm than it had shown earlier in the season. There was even a milestone for the freshman group, with Tommy Carr tossing his first career touchdown pass, a small but useful sign that Michigan was getting production from more than one spot on the field.
Still, the more immediate concern out of the win may be on the other side of the ledger, where the injury list keeps getting harder to ignore. Right tackle Andrew Sprague, running back Jordan Marshall and cornerback Zeke Berry all missed time or were limited, and for a team trying to build momentum, those absences could matter as much as any box score improvement. Michigan got the offense it needed Saturday, but the health of a few key players is becoming a bigger storyline by the week. [Read more 🡒]