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USA Today
18-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Michigan's defense raves over Bryce Underwood's elite skills in 2025 spring ball
Michigan's defense raves over Bryce Underwood's elite skills in 2025 spring ball DETROIT -- The expectations for Michigan football freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood couldn't be any higher. Though the former five-star shared reps with redshirt freshman Jadyn Davis this spring, all eyes are on the 2025 No. 1 overall recruit as he's expected to win the starting job -- even when Mikey Keene returns from injury. During spring ball, all quarterback conversations that Underwood's teammates had with the media also included Davis and how he was doing. But now that we've gotten to see both in the spring game, Underwood's ability is undeniable. Even the defensive players aren't just singing his praises, they're gushing about his play -- something that could certainly help them out should the offense have more success sustaining drives this season. A former high school quarterback breaks down Underwood's game Michigan junior safety Brandyn Hillman isn't just a defensive standout poised to enter the starting lineup this year, but he was a quarterback at the high school level. Though he no longer plays the position in college, he not only still knows about it, but he is tasked with defending Underwood's throws in practice. He told WolverinesWire (via the Locked On Wolverines Podcast) that he sees a signal caller that is far beyond his years compared to other freshmen or young quarterbacks. "So Bryce, in my opinion -- real polished," Hillman said. "I played quarterback in high school, so it's not like I was out there just running quarterback. You could put on a tape -- I played quarterback. I could look at a quarterback -- Bryce's real polished. He's ahead of the game. Certain quarterbacks, when they get into a college atmosphere, they can't pick up the game because it's moving so fast. Bryce came in day one, it was smooth for him. He got an arm, his eyes, his arm's live. It's just certain things. You got to pick up defensive coverages. Sometimes we move certain coverages to (expletive deleted) his head up, (expletive deleted) like that." Hillman is noting that no matter what Wink Martindale and the defense does, Underwood is learning and improving, understanding that there's a lot he doesn't know. But he appears to innately understand what it takes to play at the college level. Underwood's progress from bowl prep to post-spring ball It's not usual that freshmen start at quarterback and thrive -- and even when they do, it's not usually right out of the gates. Clemson's Trevor Lawrence didn't get to start until Week 5, with Kelly Bryant taking the reins initially. Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa sat behind Jalen Hurts until late in the national championship game his freshman year. Fifth-year defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny thinks that Underwood getting to play against the first-string Michigan defense in spring ball has helped the freshman phenom enormously. "Just within this short little time -- part of it, I think, he already had the ability, but just him seeing it from us on a daily basis and being able to have pocket awareness, I think that's good training and that's what's going to translate into the season," Benny said. "And, when the time comes, he's gonna show that everything was worth it and all the work paid off. He's just locked in on all the details, and he tries to make everything like a learning experience. " But it's not just about being thrown into the fire. Hillman notes that despite Underwood's youth, he's still got a lot to learn. However, the great news is that he has shown that he has the work ethic to thrive, even if it is in year one. "He's young. He's still got to get into the playbook and get into everything, learn everything," Hillman said. "So long as he keeps doing what he got to do now -- because right now he's doing everything that he's supposed to do. I'm not going to say too much what he's supposed to be doing, but he's doing everything right. "And then, just got to keep being him. He's a good kid -- off the field and everything. You won't see Bryce like, 'Oh, I'm the biggest, baddest guy.' It's Bryce. He's a cool guy." Fans will likely get their next opportunity to see Underwood in action on August 30 when Michigan football hosts New Mexico for the 2025 season opener at The Big House.
USA Today
15-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN names Michigan QB Bryce Underwood as top freshman in 2025 college football season
ESPN names Michigan QB Bryce Underwood as top freshman in 2025 college football season Michigan football doesn't have high expectations outside of Ann Arbor. But, if like in 2021, when the Wolverines shocked the college football world by going 12-2 on the season and making it to the College Football Playoff semifinal, Michigan is to get back atop the field, it will need some stellar play on offense. Namely, at quarterback. The good news for the maize and blue is that it will likely be greatly improved at that position, not only because of Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene, but also due to true freshman Bryce Underwood. ESPN is very high on Underwood Underwood comes in as the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class, and after spring ball, he's likely to be the man under center. The aforementioned Keene was injured all spring, allowing Underwood to make a move in a competition that was solely between him and redshirt freshman Jadyn Davis (Davis Warren is still recovering from the leg injury he sustained in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama). ESPN put together a series of lists in its '100 days until Week 0' post, and in the top 10 freshmen to watch, Underwood was the clear No. 1. 1. Bryce Underwood, QB, Michigan: Underwood, the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 ESPN 300, shook the sport with his flip from LSU to in-state Michigan 13 days before the early signing period. A four-year starter who threw for 11,488 yards and 152 touchdowns in high school, Underwood is the Wolverines' future under center. Depending on how Fresno State transfer passer Mikey Keene settles in, the gifted, 6-4, 208-pound quarterback could challenge to become the program's present as soon as this fall. It's unlikely that Keene, despite his experience, will have much of a chance to settle in now that Underwood has gotten so much time on task. Perhaps the most talented QB Michigan has ever had Underwood was nearly a unanimous -- though he was the consensus -- No. 1 overall recruit and quarterback in the 2025 class. All but Rivals had Underwood as No. 1 overall, which also meant he was the top signal caller. Rivals had him at No. 3 behind Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis and Ohio State signee Tavien St. Clair. The notorious Connor Stalions coached Underwood during Belleville's 2024 high school playoff run, and after Underwood committed, Stalions told WolverinesWire this about the phenom quarterback: "Anyone can watch Bryce's highlight tape and see the talent, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Don't let his physical traits fool you," Stalions told WolverinesWire. "Bryce is a reassuring example of how hard work and complete dedication to perfecting one's craft separates the good from the great. "First guy there, last guy to leave. Wins every sprint in practice. Treats every single rep like his life depends on it. When he's not on the field or working out, he's studying the game. Never satisfied. Always looking for ways to improve. Always getting extra work in. He didn't get to where he is by accident. He's ALL about football. He's only 17, so he has plenty of room to continue to grow, but Bryce already conducts himself like a professional. And every kid who looks up to him needs to understand that his work ethic is what got him to where he is. You can achieve what you want to if you relentlessly put in the work." From what was seen in the spring game, despite the 12-for-26, 187-yard performance, Underwood has talent commensurate with that of J.J. McCarthy in his late sophomore-early junior seasons. Given that there's a low water mark for Michigan football single-season passing (3,331 yards, set by John Navarre in 2003), while it's unlikely Underwood hits that number in his freshman year, he could attain that by the end of his college career. But for this season, given that the Wolverines had the fourth-worst passing attack in college football (ahead of only three service academies) it would stand to reason that even as a true freshman, he would be a big upgrade. Michigan is set to have whoever is under center starting on August 30 when the Wolverines host New Mexico for the season opener.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Elite 2026 OL John Turntine III sets Michigan football official visit
Michigan football recruiting has picked up but it hasn't necessarily resulted in pledges just yet. However, the vast majority of the players that the Wolverines want remain on the board, and we're starting to see many set official visits for late spring and the summer. Though it appears as if the maize and blue will lose the Jackson Cantwell sweepstakes at offensive tackle, another prospect -- seen not too long ago as a longshot -- has emerged. 2026 Fort Worth (Tx.) North Crowley five-star offensive tacklke John Turntine III has started to turn up his interest in the Wolverines and now has set up an official visit to Ann Arbor for May 30 after offensive line caoch Grant Newsome visited him in-home this week. Turntine is rated the No. 31 player overall according to the 247Sports Composite, regardless of position. The Wolverines had a solid offensive line class in 2025 with five-star Andrew Babalola and four-star Ty Haywood both signing to the class. At the moment, Michigan has one offensive lineman committed in Georgia-based pledge Bear McWhorter, who turned his back on childhood favorite Alabama for the maize and blue. Advertisement At the moment, Texas is the perceived favorite for Turntine, but the Wolverines just got a high-level Texas-based OL prospect in Haywood, so a push on the visit could turn things around. For now, Michigan will host a cadre of recruits for the annual spring game. set for Saturday at noon at The Big House. This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: John Turntine III sets official visit to Michigan football
USA Today
30-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Who is standing out at tight end for Michigan football in spring ball?
Who is standing out at tight end for Michigan football in spring ball? ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- For now, the Michigan football tight ends room is a bit of a known commodity, even in the unknown of the post-Colston Loveland era. Prior to Loveland's arrival and emergence, Marlin Klein would have been seen as a prototypical Wolverines tight end, while Max Bredeson is a perfect hybrid between tight end and fullback. But behind them, and sophomore Hogan Hansen, there are questions at the position. One name that came in hot as a former four-star but hasn't seen the field is Deakon Tonielli. WolverinesWire asked Klein on Friday about the junior tight end and noted that the whole room is deep into competition and improving. "Yeah, I think he continues to get better each and every single day," Klein said. "And there's a lot of competition going on in that room right now, not just between me and Max, but really just everybody's trying to compete with everybody. And I think that will continue to get every single person in that room better." So, who else is standing out in Klein's estimation? Of those he mentioned, a former walk-on, another junior, and a second-year player appear to be rising. "There's guys that are standing out so far, like Jalen Hoffman is probably playing the best football of his life right now," Klein said. "Zack Marshall is playing great. The freshmen are coming along and Brady Prieskorn. Like all those guys, just super proud of all of them." Still, Klein, Bredeson, and Hansen are likely the three that fans will see the most often this season, barring a meteoric rise from anyone else in the room. There will be an opportunity to see who takes a step forward, as Loveland did in the 2022 spring game, this year on April 19 at The Big House.
USA Today
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Dom Nichols, Cam Brandt impressing Michigan football senior EDGE Derrick Moore in spring
Dom Nichols, Cam Brandt impressing Michigan football senior EDGE Derrick Moore in spring ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- If you listen to what Michigan football players and coaches have been saying since spring ball started, you'll notice some consistencies. One of them is the constant mention of sophomore edge rusher Dom Nichols. Nichols played in just five games in 2024 and notched only three tackles. But he's been getting a ton of hype, particularly from his teammates, but also his coaches. WolverinesWire asked senior edge rusher Derrick Moore on Wednesday what has made the second-year defensive end so good, and he couldn't just speak about him singularly. Much like Led Zeppelin song 'Heartbreaker' cannot be played on the radio without 'Living Loving Maid' following, you can't take Nichols without his junior edge rushing teammate. "I'm going to also pick Cam Brandt. Cam Brandt and Dom be kind of like a similarity to me and TJ," Moore said. "Same exact personalities from both sides of the ball and it's kind of crazy because I'm a quiet guy, Cam a quiet guy, TJ and Dom kind of got their own little personal bond and relationship, but they got the same similarities. "But for them two guys, man, I'm really excited to see what they're going to bring to the table this year. Both young guys who's stepping into their leadership role and they've been waiting and now I feel like them guys are ready for their time. They've just been like the sponge in a room. They took in all the knowledge and feedback and they saw everything with the older guys like me, TJ and J. Stew did and it just all carried over to them and now I see them stepping up, saying stuff to the younger guys that's here now and I'm just really excited to see what they're going to bring this year." The duo were impressive in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama with both crashing down on quarterback Jalen Milroe forcing him to fumble deep in Crimson Tide territory. Brandt and Nichols are expected to be the two primary reserves at edge rusher when Moore and fellow senior TJ Guy come out of the game. While Nichols is still awaiting his first career sack, Brandt actually was quite productive as a reserve last year, managing to get three sacks and that forced fumble in 2024.
