Michigan coach says Bryce Underwood is Wolverines quarterback for ‘right now’ after near disaster in opener

Heading into the college football season, there was not a single person who would have predicted that Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood would be put on notice after the Wolverines’ season opener against Western Michigan, yet here we are.

Michigan avoided what would have been one of the most embarrassing losses in program history to the directional school after Bryce Underwood connected with wide receiver JJ Buchanan on a Hail Mary for a 13-12 victory. Underwood sailed his first Hail Mary attempt out of the back of the end zone, and despite the clock appearing to hit triple zeros to end the game, officials added one second back onto the clock after a review, which led to Underwood’s heroics.

While Underwood’s perfect pass to Buchanan saved the day, and perhaps the entire year for Michigan, that doesn’t mean he’s earned an infinite leash as QB1 in head coach Kyle Whittingham’s eyes.

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“He’s our QB right now, it’s not something that’s infinite,” Whittingham told reporters on Monday. “At some point, we’ve got to turn a corner, and we’ve got to see improvement.

“As we do with a bunch of stuff, we’ve got to see improvement out of the coaches. It’s not just Bryce; it’s not just Bryce’s job that is not absolutely set in concrete. Nobody’s is, you’ve got to perform week in and week out. Become somebody that we feel is playing at a level that we can win with.”

Bryce Underwood #19 of the Michigan Wolverines tires to fire up his team prior to playing the Western Michigan Broncos at Michigan Stadium on September 05, 2026 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

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Whittingham pointing a finger at himself and his coaching staff after the near-nightmare start to the season is certainly valid, but him specifically stating that Underwood’s name being atop the depth chart is “not something that’s infinite” is certainly noteworthy.

The sophomore signal caller signed a historic NIL deal worth a reported $12 million upon joining the Wolverines as the top quarterback in the 2025 class. Potentially benching a quarterback being paid $4 million per year would fall into the easier-said-than-done category, but Whittingham is, at the very least, willing to send a message to his young QB through the media.

Bryce Underwood #19 and Jordan Marshall #23 of the Michigan Wolverines lead the team onto the field prior to playing the Western Michigan Broncos at Michigan Stadium on September 05, 2026 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Underwood threw for 170 yards and rushed for another 47 yards and accounted for both of Michigan’s touchdowns against the Broncos while also throwing one interception.

The Michigan native threw 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions as a freshman with the Wolverines a season ago.