All Eyes on Top-Rated QB Recruit Bryce Underwood for No. 14 Michigan
He's also ready to take some hits.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Underwood told two reporters earlier this summer — at a car dealership that leveraged his name, image and likeness to draw fans for autographs — that he has put on 15 pounds of muscle to get bigger, stronger and quicker.
"It's made me more explosive," Underwood said. "I feel way more faster."
The Wolverines trail four Big Ten teams in the AP Top 25, but Underwood said people should expect a lot from them on both sides of the ball.
"Offense and defense that they never seen before," he said.
Second-year coach Sherrone Moore, who might name a starting quarterback on Monday, said Underwood's talent and comprehension of the offense under new coordinator Chip Lindsey are what have stood out the most so far from the freshman.
"Consistency is the biggest thing," he said. "Don't turn the ball over, command the offense, make plays."
Moore will be suspended for the third and fourth games of the season as a self-imposed sanction in response to the NCAA investigation into the sign-stealing scandal that has loomed over the program for two years.
The NCAA also suspended Moore for the 2026 opener, fined the school tens of millions of dollars and reduced official visits by 25% this season.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said the governing body made errors interpreting its bylaws, adding that conclusions were made that were contrary to the evidence.
"We will appeal this decision to ensure a fair result, and we will consider all other options," Manuel said.
Michigan expects to take pressure off Underwood with a potentially dynamic duo in the backfield.
Justice Haynes, who started six games last season at Alabama, and sophomore Jordan Marshall, who ran for 100 yards against the Crimson Tide in a bowl game win, are expected to split time at running back to give the team quite a 1-2 punch.
"They compete in the weight room every single day, push each other, and they just work as hard as they can," Underwood said.
Michigan was 8-5 in Moore's debut season, closing with three straight wins, including a fourth in a row against rival Ohio State and over Alabama in a bowl game. The Wolverines are projected to have similar results this year.
The Wolverines over-under is 8.5 wins, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
Robby Emery, director of character development for Michigan football, has tried to set the tone with coaches and players to control what they can and to let the rest go.
"We're really living by this motto of TNT — today not tomorrow," Moore said.
Michigan opens with New Mexico on Aug. 30 under the lights at the Big House. The Wolverines travel to play Oklahoma, where Moore was an offensive lineman nearly 20 years ago, in Week 2.
Moore will miss a home game against Central Michigan and the Big Ten opener at Nebraska.
The Wolverines play rival Michigan State on the road Oct. 25 and close the regular season at home against rival and third-ranked Ohio State on Nov. 29.
Michigan is not scheduled to play No. 2 Penn State, No. 7 Oregon or No. 12 Illinois.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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Why Shilo Sanders is going through bankruptcy The debt stems from an incident that happened between Sanders and Darjean in September 2015. Darjean said in court documents previously that Sanders assaulted him with his elbow and fist when he was trying to confiscate his phone at school that day in 2015, resulting in permanent and severe injuries, including ongoing pain and incontinence. Records show he had to be transported to the hospital that day and then underwent spinal surgery a few days later. Darjean sued Sanders in 2016, seeking damages for the injuries. In response, Sanders claimed self-defense and filed counterclaims. But the case dragged on during the pandemic and when it finally went to trial in 2022, Sanders didn't show up for it. In 2020, Sanders let go of his attorneys in the case, who otherwise would have notified him of the trial and could have helped him avoid the worst-case outcome that happened next. The trial went on without him and ended with a default judgment against Sanders of $11.89 million, to be paid to Darjean. Then when Darjean moved to collect on that debt in 2023, Sanders filed for bankruptcy to try to get it wiped away in a discharge. What's next in Shilo Sanders' bankruptcy case? Debtors generally file for bankruptcy to automatically 'stay' or stop debt collection against them and to discharge their debts. This is allowed under the law and sometimes is used as a tactic. But there are some circumstances in which debt is considered by law to be "nondischargeable," meaning a debtor can't erase it in bankruptcy court. Darjean cited this in two complaints he filed against Sanders in bankruptcy court as part of his effort to get paid what he's owed. One argues that Sanders omitted or concealed assets in his disclosures and therefore should be denied a discharge under the law – an accusation Sanders' attorneys denied. The other complaint argues the debt is nondischargeable because it stems from a 'willful and malicious" injury. The judge must determine in the latter case if it was a 'willful and malicious' injury and not self-defense. That judge is expected to do so after hearing witness testimony and other evidence in a mini-trial about what happened that day 10 years ago. No trial date has been set. Possible outcomes for Shilo Sanders If the judge finds credible evidence that Sanders acted in self-defense, Sanders could get the debt discharged with no further debt collection or future wage garnishments. In this scenario, Darjean would only get a small fraction of what he was owed – all from certain assets owned by Sanders before his bankruptcy filing. But if the judge determines it was not self-defense and was instead 'willful and malicious,' then he could rule the debt is nondischargeable and Sanders would be on the hook to pay the full judgment even after the bankruptcy case is over. 'Nondischargeable debt survives after the bankruptcy, so if the $11 million is deemed nondischargeable, Darjean could continue debt collection once the bankruptcy case is over and the automatic stay is lifted,' said Christopher Hampson, associate law professor and bankruptcy expert at the University of Florida. 'After the bankruptcy, Darjean could try to collect on the $11 million by serving a writ of garnishment on Sanders' employer, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, directing the Bucs to redirect a portion of Sanders' paycheck to Darjean. In that legal action, Sanders would be protected by federal law, which limits garnishment to 25% of his post-tax income.' It also could be much less than that, depending on the circumstances. State laws could help further restrict what Darjean could garnish from Sanders. What if Shilo Sanders doesn't make the cut in Tampa? He could end up on the team practice squad or he could get a chance with another team. If he doesn't pan out in the NFL, it's not clear what he would do that would pay as well as being a rising star on an active NFL roster. That's why it's in Darjean's interest for Sanders to make the team and perform well in the NFL, building wealth that he could pursue to satisfy that judgment if it's not discharged. But pursuing debt collection and trying to seize personal property to satisfy a judgment can be a cat-and-mouse game if the debtor is not willing to cooperate with the creditor. Sanders could try to thwart debt collection through legal loopholes and lawyers. 'Most people honestly don't have enough personal property to make it worth going after,' said Theresa J. Pulley Radwan, a law professor at Stetson University in Florida. 'The stuff you and I own probably isn't valuable enough to recoup a significant judgment.' It's different if the debtor is wealthy. Future success in the NFL would ensure that. Tampa Bay opens the season Sept. 7 at Atlanta. Sanders previously declined to discuss the case other than telling reporters in 2024 that "at the end of the day everybody is gonna know the truth about everything." Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Creditor in Shilo Sanders bankruptcy case has rooting interest in him
