ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Bryce Underwood was expected to take the first snap for No. 14 Michigan this season after being the nation’s top-ranked recruit last year and flipping his commitment from LSU.
When Sherrone Moore officially named Underwood the team’s starting quarterback, the second-year coach insisted the job was not handed to the freshman.
“He’s earned the opportunity,” Moore said. “It was not given to him.”
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Underwood said he plans to “shock the world” this season.
“I feel like nobody’s seen a freshman like me,” he said in an interview with the Big Ten Network.
Michigan opens against New Mexico, and Underwood said his goal is to close the season with the school’s second national title in three years.
“Do whatever it takes to get my team to where they want to be, which is a national championship,” he told BTN. “Of course, beating Ohio State is one of those (goals) as well.”
Underwood originally was committed to play for LSU, but the two-time state champion from Belleville High School chose to sign with a school 15 miles from home. Jay Underwood told The Wall Street Journal that his son is expected to make more than $15 million over the next three seasons.
He flipped following a sales pitch that included a FaceTime chat with former Michigan quarterback and seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady, along with Oracle founder Larry Ellison, one of the world’s richest people, getting involved with the recruitment.
Underwood participated in practices with last year’s team before it beat Alabama in a bowl game, enrolled in classes in January and benefited from 14 practices and a spring game at Michigan Stadium.
He prepared for college football by adding 15 pounds of muscle.
“It’s made me more explosive,”…
Source link : https://www.nbcsports.com/college-football/news/no-14-michigan-names-freshman-bryce-underwood-its-starting-quarterback-in-opener-against-new-mexico
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Publish date : 2025-08-25 19:33:00
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