The quarterback battle at the University of Michigan is likely one of the most-watched in college football at the moment. Though, most fans and pundits already have a clear idea of who will be the Wolverines' starter come Week 1.
True freshman Bryce Underwood, the consensus No. 1 recruit in the nation, would have to get hurt or really crumble under the pressure during the last few weeks of training camp to not earn the starter role. But head coach Sherrone Moore is keeping any indication of the sort tight to his chest, naturally.
"Before anybody asks, it’s an open competition,” Moore told reporters (h/t The Athletic's Austin Meek). “[Underwood] is not the starter right now. There is no starter. We’ll figure out who that is in camp, and we’ll do a really good job evaluating that position to make sure we’ve got the best person to lead our program."
Although, if you ask Underwood's teammates, the battle is already over.
“He’s 17 years old, and he’s playing with 21, 22, maybe 25-year-olds,” left guard Giovanni El-Hadi said of Underwood's maturity. “He just has that ability to lead us.”
Bryce Underwood sure sounds like he'll be the starting QB at Michigan
Underwood is primarily competing with Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene, but East Carolina transfer Jake Garcia and sophomore Jaydn Davis are also in the mix. The plethora of talent has the Wolverine staff salivating.
“With two guys getting reps in the spring, it’s pretty easy to rotate them, right?” Offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey said. “Now we’re getting all those guys in the mix, and it’s been good.”
Even if Underwood's job as the starter is his to lose over the final few weeks ahead of kickoff, Michigan's QB room is stacked compared to what it had last year. It's a far cry in the right direction from the likes of Alex Orji, Davis Warren and Jack Tuttle, that's for sure. And the Wolverines know it too.
“We’re going to be really good," edge rusher TJ Guy said.
Despite the regression from their national championship form in 2024, walking away as winners against the rival Ohio State Buckeyes - the eventual 2025 national champions - was enough consolation. This year they'll have the talent to potentially follow up that embarrassment and add insult to injury in a potential College Football Playoff bid too.