Michigan’s bye week has turned into a public audit.
After the loss in Minneapolis to Minnesota last Saturday, the Wolverines are spending 14 days sitting on that result while the criticism keeps coming from every direction. Michigan is 0-2 in Big Ten play, and with another week before it returns to the field, the conversation around the program has only gotten louder.
Urban Meyer made sure of that.
The former Ohio State coach, who has been a regular presence in these weekly Michigan discussions because of his connection to Kyle Whittingham, went straight at the Wolverines on his podcast. Meyer and Whittingham coached together at Utah and remain close, a relationship that has helped cool some of the heat around the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry. But when Meyer talks about Michigan, people still listen.
“I could normally give a damn about (Michigan), but I do now,” said Meyer. “I’ve got five or six former players and coaches on that staff.”
This week, Meyer said the Wolverines look broken.
“It’s an enigma right now. What in the heck is going on?”
Meyer asked. “They had three turnovers.
Bang. Bang.
Bang. Right in front of me.
You can blame it on Bryce Underwood all you want, I don’t see any explosiveness on offense. I see a quarterback getting hammered.
First of all, they’re 2-3. Their record is not 3-2.
I have not said this yet, it’s a trainwreck right now. I stood right there and watched it.”
Meyer wasn’t done. He said the sideline didn’t have the kind of edge he expects from Michigan.
“But that sideline, I just didn’t feel the dudes,” said the former Ohio State head coach. “Where are the grown-ass men?
And I didn’t feel it, I didn’t see it. When there had to be a big stop, I didn’t see the energy… it’s still about passion, energy, and toughness, and I didn’t see it (on the Michigan sideline).”
He added another pointed assessment in a later clip.
“I don’t see first rounders bouncing around like you used to see in the Wolverines now. Even second rounders. Maybe I am missing something, but we have watched them closely now, and the only first round athlete on the field is Bryce Underwood.”
Meyer later clarified that he was talking about Underwood as an athlete, not as a quarterback.
Bryce Underwood then became the center of the next round of criticism, this time from CBS Sports senior college football reporter Brandon Marcello. Marcello said there are questions from people around the program about Underwood’s commitment.
“There’s some question there among those about whether he’s actually fully committed to football,” said Marcello. “Does he love football? Is he obsessed with football?”
Marcello also said the issue goes deeper than commitment.
“When I hear people who would know that he just does not process things very well in live action, that should not be something he is dealing with in year two in the middle of the season,” Marcello continued. “To me, Bryce Underwood is the biggest problem that Michigan has right now.”
Robert Griffin III added his own thoughts, saying Michigan did not make the $12M investment in Underwood because he was supposed to be a finished product. He also criticized the staff for trying to force the five-star quarterback into its offensive system instead of tailoring the offense around him. Griffin specifically said the program is trying to turn Underwood into Utah quarterback Devon Dampier, even though the two are fundamentally different players.
He ended the clip with another notable detail: two years ago, Michigan reached out to him about being Underwood’s quarterback coach, but he turned it down to stay in broadcasting.
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