Sherrone Moore’s first year as Michigan’s head coach ended with a record of 8-5, but it came without a real franchise quarterback. It might not be a great season in terms of overall wins, but don’t let that fool you. The Wolverines ended the 2024 season with back-to-back wins over Ohio State (13-10) and Alabama (19-13) in the bowl season. And he announced himself by beating those powerful programs. However, this was just the beginning. His most significant victory came on the recruiting trail.
Moore pulled off what many thought was impossible: flipping the No.1 overall recruit in the country, quarterback Bryce Underwood, away from LSU and into Michigan’s future. In the modern landscape of college football, recruiting is everything. And landing a generational talent like Underwood could reshape a program for years to come.
Moore answered the question in a recent appearance on The Michigan Insider show. “In recruiting, we saw the arm talent, the ability, the physicality when he ran with the football, his athleticism. First of all, he’s a large human being. He’s 6’4. He’s almost 230 lbs,” Moore said. Underwood was phenomenal in high school, leading Belleville High School to back-to-back Michigan State titles in his freshman and sophomore years. As Moore mentioned, the star QB is built huge, which is a great thing when he’s still so young.
Syndication: Detroit Free Press Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood 19 throws at warm up before the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 19, 2025. Detroit , EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJunfuxHanx USATSI_25968427
When you have your name on every Michigan fan’s lips, it’s obvious to feel that extra pressure. However, it’s important to remain humble when you’re yet to show your skills on the big stage. “But, what I’ve seen since he’s been here is a very humble, hardworking young man, cuz he’s still a kid. He’s only 17. He doesn’t turn 18 till August. And I’ve seen a guy that just wants to be great and does everything the right way and is a team player and just going to work continuously to be a great teammate and but he wants to be the best.” Moore added.
Listening to the HC, it’s pretty clear that Underwood is putting in the work. And honestly, that’s what Michigan needs. They need stability at quarterback after a turbulent 2024 season. Moore is genuinely impressed with Underwood, and he went a step further while praising him.
Sherrone Moore believes he’s got another J.J. on the roster
Bryce Underwood racked up staggering stats in his high school career. As a freshman, Underwood threw for 2,888 yards, 39 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. In his senior year, he racked up 2,762 passing yards and 37 touchdowns. This early success positioned him as a top quarterback prospect in the nation. But playing in high school and playing at the college football level is a whole different thing. One off night, and suddenly your starting spot isn’t so safe, not just because of the performance, but fans have a big say too. If they start turning on you, the pressure piles up like never before.
But Moore is quite confident in Underwood’s ability to handle pressure, and he even compared him with J.J. McCarthy, who went on to be a first-round NFL draft pick. “I mean, he handles the pressure better than any freshman I’ve ever been around. And probably the closest was JJ (McCarthy), and JJ handled it really well,” Moore said. McCarthy was the backbone of Michigan and played a huge role in the program’s Big Ten championship run in 2021, 2022, and 2023, eventually in the 2023 led the national championship title as well. Standing at 6 feet 3 inches and weighing around 200 pounds, McCarthy racked up 6,226 passing yards, 49 touchdowns, and just 11 interceptions in his three-year college football career with Michigan.
Underwood has a lot of things to prove in the upcoming season. The pressure is not just about performing up to his hype. The fans’ expectations are on a different level, and not just that, even his coach has high expectations for him, who did everything to get him on the roster. Now it’s up to Underwood if he’ll be able to bring Michigan back on track after a ‘not-so-good’ 2024 season.
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