Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham indicated that quarterback Bryce Underwood's status as the team's starter is not set in stone, emphasizing the need for improvement following a narrow season-opening victory. Underwood, a second-year player, led the Wolverines to a controversial 13-12 win against Western Michigan on Saturday, secured by a last-second Hail Mary pass.
"He's our QB right now," Whittingham said Tuesday. "It's not something that's infinite. At some point, we've got to turn a corner, and we've got to see improvement, as we've got to do with a bunch of stuff. We've got to see improvement out of the coaches. It's not just on Bryce, and it's not just Bryce's job that is not absolutely set in concrete. Nobody's is."
Despite the dramatic finish, Underwood's performance throughout the game was inconsistent. He completed 12 of 22 passes for an interception and the team struggled to move the ball, failing to record a first down on five of 10 possessions. While the team ultimately secured the win, Whittingham expressed disappointment that Underwood's performance did not reflect the sharpness he displayed during fall camp.
"It's unfortunate, disappointing, because we see him every day and he's been very sharp all through fall camp," Whittingham stated. "So, I don't have a great explanation right now, other than we hope to see improvement between Game 1 and Game 2 in the live action. There's nobody who wants to be great more so than Bryce."
The Wolverines face a significant challenge in their next game against No. 10 Oklahoma. Last season, Oklahoma defeated Michigan, holding Underwood to a 9-of-24 completion rate without a touchdown pass in a 24-13 loss. If Whittingham opts to make a change at quarterback, freshman backup Tommy Carr, brother of Notre Dame QB C.J. Carr and grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, is the likely next option.
