{"id":76692,"date":"2025-08-25T15:00:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T19:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/?p=76692"},"modified":"2025-08-25T07:36:02","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T11:36:02","slug":"bryce-underwood-named-michigan-starting-quarterback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2025\/08\/25\/bryce-underwood-named-michigan-starting-quarterback\/","title":{"rendered":"Bryce Underwood Michigan Quarterback Named Starter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bryce Underwood, named Michigan’s starting quarterback,<\/em> is now official. The five-star freshman, ranked as the nation\u2019s number one recruit, will take over as QB1 in 2025.<\/p>\n

The Hometown Hero They Couldn\u2019t Let Leave<\/h2>\n

Underwood wasn\u2019t just another blue-chip signee. He was the<\/em> recruit, the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 class, the kid from Belleville, Michigan, who had his pick of Georgia, Alabama, and LSU.<\/p>\n

Instead, he stayed home. His high school career was absurd: 11,488 passing yards, 152 touchdowns, two state titles, and more accolades than he could fit on a mantle. At Belleville, he wasn\u2019t just a star; he was the<\/em> show.<\/p>\n

Now he\u2019s the face of a Michigan program trying to prove last year\u2019s 8\u20135 finish was a blip, not a backslide.<\/p>\n

Why Michigan’s Quarterback Decision Matters<\/h3>\n

This wasn\u2019t a ceremonial coronation. Moore and offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey ran an open competition. Veteran transfer Mikey Keene<\/a> had the r\u00e9sum\u00e9: nearly 6,000 career passing yards at UCF and Fresno State. Jake Garcia<\/a> brought experience from Miami and Missouri. Jadyn Davis<\/a> was already in the building. And yet, Underwood kept taking reps, kept pushing the ball downfield, kept making throws no one else in the room could make. His spring-game stat line, 12-of-26 for 187 yards and an 88-yard touchdown,\u00a0 told part of the story. His command of the huddle told the rest.<\/p>\n

By mid-camp, insiders were saying it was his job to lose. Monday just makes it official.<\/p>\n

How Michigan Is Building Around Bryce Underwood<\/h3>\n

Michigan\u2019s offense needed this shake-up. In 2024, the Wolverines averaged 129 passing yards per game \u2014 dead last in the Big Ten<\/a> and ahead of only Army<\/a> and Navy<\/a> nationally. That won\u2019t cut it in the modern Big Ten, especially with USC<\/a>, Oregon<\/a>, and Washington<\/a> now on the schedule. Enter Lindsey, who came from North Carolina<\/a> with a system that thrives on tempo and vertical shots. Pairing him with a freshman who can flick a 40-yard rope on the run? That\u2019s the bet Michigan is making. The goal isn\u2019t to turn Underwood into Superman overnight. It\u2019s to make defenses respect Michigan through the air again, to loosen the box for running backs Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall, and to bring some balance back to the Big House.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next for Underwood<\/h3>\n

Underwood won\u2019t be throwing to last year\u2019s cast, either. Moore and Lindsey rebuilt the receiver room on the fly:<\/p>\n