Kyle Whittingham Sets the Tone at Michigan: Physicality, the Spread, and a Star QB in Waiting
Kyle Whittingham didn’t waste any time making his presence felt in Ann Arbor. The newly hired Michigan head coach has a full plate-transfer portal strategy, staff hires, and bowl prep-but his first priority was clear: connect with the players already in the building. And that started with a 45-minute sit-down with the Wolverines’ crown jewel, freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood.
Underwood, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class, has already flashed big-time potential this season, racking up over 2,500 total yards ahead of Michigan’s Citrus Bowl showdown with Texas. Whittingham, speaking at his introductory press conference on Sunday, made it clear that building a relationship with the young signal-caller was at the top of his list.
“I did a lot of listening,” Whittingham said of his meeting with Underwood. “I wanted feedback from him, I wanted to get to know him.
Everything from growing up, family, what’s important to him-it was a great conversation. He’s a special young man.
Carries himself the right way. You’ve got to have a quarterback with that ‘it’ factor, and Bryce definitely has it.”
Whittingham didn’t stop there. He praised Underwood’s physical tools-6-foot-4, 225-plus pounds-and said the offense he plans to install will be tailor-made for the freshman’s strengths.
“I think he’s going to really, really excel and have a great experience here,” Whittingham added.
Underwood, for his part, sounded intrigued but noncommittal about the future. Speaking ahead of the bowl game, he admitted he didn’t know much about Whittingham but was “excited to figure out what kind of guy he is.” As for his plans beyond this season, Underwood said he’ll “figure it out” with his family after the bowl game.
There’s no sugarcoating it-keeping Underwood in maize and blue is a massive priority for Whittingham. And if the freshman stays, he’ll be the centerpiece of a Michigan offense that could return some key pieces, including running back Jordan Marshall, wide receiver Andrew Marsh, and several starters up front.
Whittingham’s offensive vision? It’s a blend of modern spread concepts with an old-school edge.
“Spread. We’re going to base it out of the spread,” Whittingham said.
“Eleven personnel will be our base personnel group. We’re going to run the football efficiently.”
That last part is no surprise to anyone who’s followed Whittingham’s run at Utah. His teams were known for their physicality and commitment to the ground game-often outpacing everyone except the service academies in rushing output. In fact, Utah ranked second nationally in rushing this season with 269.7 yards per game and fifth in scoring at 41.1 points per game.
That success wasn’t by accident, and Whittingham is reportedly looking to bring a key piece of that formula with him to Ann Arbor. According to reports, he’s targeting Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck to call plays for the Wolverines. Beck’s impact on the Utes’ offense this year was significant, and his scheme could be a natural fit for Underwood’s dual-threat skill set.
Underwood’s freshman season showed flashes of what could be. He completed 61.1% of his passes for 2,229 yards, with nine touchdowns and six interceptions.
But it’s his mobility that could really take off under Whittingham. At Utah, quarterback Devon Dampier rushed for 687 yards and seven touchdowns this season, while freshman backup Byrd Ficklin piled up 503 yards and 10 scores on just 56 carries.
That’s the kind of quarterback-friendly run game that could unlock another level in Underwood’s development.
Whittingham, who went 177-88 at Utah, takes over a Michigan program looking to reset after the tumultuous end to Sherrone Moore’s tenure. While the Wolverines are only two years removed from a national title run in 2023, the last year has been anything but smooth. Whittingham was brought in to stabilize-and elevate.
“There were only a few jobs I would’ve said yes to,” Whittingham said. “This was one of them.”
As for what fans can expect from his teams?
“Physicality will be our calling card,” he said. “We were the most physical team in whatever league we played in.
I believe in running the football and defending the run. If you can win the line of scrimmage, be physical up front, you’ve got a chance to win a lot of football games.”
That mindset, paired with a high-upside quarterback like Underwood and a scheme built to maximize both power and pace, could make Michigan a fascinating team to watch in 2026 and beyond. But first, Whittingham has to keep his young star in the fold-and build a roster around him that can deliver on the promise.