Bryce Underwood is easily the most hyped and talented QB prospect we’ve seen in a while. He’s like a walking ad for the NIL era. His commitment to Michigan was a big win for the team, but it also shows just how much it’s going to take for schools to land those once-in-a-generation recruits now. So, don’t expect teams to stack up talent like Nick Saban did at Alabama. It looks like Michigan is only going to have one standout QB over the next few years. That kind of spotlight comes with a lot of pressure and scrutiny, just like what Bryce Underwood is dealing with right now.
The QB spot for Michigan has always had some problems ever since J.J. McCarthy went to the NFL. After all, McCarthy led the Wolverines to the national championship title and finished the season with 2,991 passing and 202 rushing yards in 2023. So, to bring back the same production, you just don’t bring a Davis Warren or an Alex Orji or maybe a Jack Tuttle. Why? The warning signs were all there last season. You go all in and bring in Bryce Underwood. But can this freshman prodigy live up to his billing?
The evaluation for that will not start from the first game this year against New Mexico; that’s a cakewalk, right? The ultimate test will come in Week 2 when the Wolverines will visit Oklahoma, and from there will begin Underwood’s test. Blain Crain and David Cone, in their recent video of ‘Crain and Company,’ presented a similar scenario. “Bryce Underwood. This is going to be your first big test, not your first game, but you’re gonna be the starter, right, David?” David agreed with Blain’s statement and simply remarked.
“It’s not my call, you know, as you may think, but yes. Yeah. You paid 12 million for him.” $12 million is not easy money, and with such a big tag, people will expect performances from the guy. The pressure will be there, and the nerves can also take over because of the hostile environment at Norman. “This is going to be us in a hostile environment. It’s going to be nuts in Norman,” said Blain. So, will Bryce Underwood finally pass that Oklahoma test?
Last year, Oklahoma struggled in its first SEC season, and it was a total disappointment. Except for their defense, which was ranked 19th nationally (318.2 yards per game conceded), their offense was worse than some of the Group of 5 teams, as it was ranked 114th in total offense. But this year? All that has changed with the arrival of John Mateer, who is already a Heisman candidate. Moreover, the team is returning with some of their key talents. For instance, the second-team All-SEC lineman R Mason is returning along with a freshman All-American talent, Jayden Jackson. The cherry on top?
Ben Arbuckle has come in as the Sooners’ new offensive playcaller, and his prior chemistry with John Meteer is touted to be the game-changer for the Sooners. So, yes, the test against Oklahoma, that too in Norman, will be a massive boost if Bryce Underwood passes it. However, losing it too won’t be the end of the world, but the hype and that $12 million NIL tag will surely attract criticisms early. This brings us to another question: What are the expectations with Michigan in 2025?
Hot seat rumors for Sherrone Moore?
Michigan, having been long embroiled in the sign-stealing and tampering controversy, is set to face an NCAA hearing starting on June 6th. The most expected punishment for Sherrone Moore is touted to be game bans, as we saw with Jim Harbaugh, although other stringent measures are also possible. So, what if Sherrone Moore attracts harsher punishment? But even without that punishment, too, what is expected from Moore in 2025, now that he has a well-touted QB?
Sherrone Moore has shown recruiting prowess after his first season in Ann Arbor. He has landed a 6th-ranked class nationally and has 17 incoming transfers already. But what if Moore still doesn’t make it to the playoffs? Will his job be under threat? “Moore got his grace period last year, especially after losing a large senior class and having a lot of turnover. He won’t be afforded that excuse much longer. This year, the team has to make strides in getting back to contending,” wrote Fansided’s Wynston Wilcox.
Wilcox is probably right with his take. This is because Michigan is now aiming to be the top program in the country, and the commitment of Bryce Underwood showed that. The billionaire alumni are backing the program, too, like Larry Ellison or Dave Portnoy, and they certainly would want results sooner. So, the high expectations could eventually make patience run thin for Michigan fans and donors.
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