There’s a buzz swirling around Ann Arbor. And that’s to do with Michigan’s star commit Bryce Underwood. Remember when we all thought this No. 1 overall player in the 2025 class would start this season? Getting him to flip from LSU was a huge achievement for Sherrone Moore. But, if you thought he’s going to be a guaranteed starter, you may have to deal with a harsh reality check. College football is full of surprises and things might be about to take an unexpected turn as an insider reveals a possible scenario in the Wolverines QB room for 2025.
Despite the tremendous hype, Bryce Underwood isn’t the only QB in Michigan expected to be a game changer. Sherrone Moore brought in Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene into the mix who could possibly be favored over the 5-star QB. Take it from MGoBlog’s Seth Fisher who dropped a bold prediction in a new episode on College Football Addiction on February 22. “They’re building the team around kind of him right now,” he stated. “It’s weird. You look at the receivers that they’re picking up and how they’ve kind of shifted some of their thoughts. They’re going to do a little bit more go and get it and that’s really Mikey Keene’s game. So I’m guessing that he’s going to be favored going into the season.” While this may seem absurd to some fans, Michigan’s got a reason.
“The last thing you want to do with your five star is ruin him by throwing him to the dogs right away,” Fisher noted. “My guess is probably in the middle of the season they’ll be able to re-evaluate where they’re at and where Bryce is at.” While Bryce Underwood has an impressive high school resume at Belleville with a 50-4 record capped off by two state championships, this decision could be a strategic one. Just like what we saw with their former star QB JJ McCarthy.
Despite joining Michigan in 2021 as a highly-rated QB, JJ McCarthy remained behind Cade McNamara in his freshman season. And while people doubted this decision, it created a win situation for the Wolverines. McNamara’s consistency and experience provided stability while McCarthy’s contributions in specific situations gave a dynamic element to the offense. An instance was when he completed a 31-yard pass in the regular season game against Ohio State. This situation allowed the freshman QB to get valuable experience without the pressure of being the starter.
Mikey Keene is a seasoned college football QB on his final eligibility. And while this setup could be a win for Michigan, Sherrone Moore might have to deal with a major setback with his $12 million offer for Bryce Underwood.
Sherrone Moore to face mass transfer exodus?
It’s a possibility. Sherrone Moore faces potential challenges due to the House v NCAA settlement. The settlement will allow schools to allocate up to 22% of their athletic revenue — approximately $20 million annually — to student-athletes starting in 2025. The complication here is that Michigan got Bryce Underwood with a reported $12M NIL offer over four years.
This significant commitment could impact the distribution of funds among other recruits including elite talents like OT Andrew Babalola and CB Shamari Earls. Balancing these financial obligations within the revenue-sharing cap may lead to player dissatisfaction and potential transfers if compensation expectations aren’t met.
As of now, Sherrone Moore isn’t just navigating a QB battle. He’s staring down a roster management nightmare. If the locker room falls out over NIL payouts, Michigan’s national championship aspirations could shatter before they even take off.
The post Bryce Underwood’s Michigan Fortunes Take a Sudden Turn as Sherrone Moore’s $12M Blunder Triggers Mass Exodus Fears appeared first on EssentiallySports.
