Best freshman college football player ever? That’s what Dave Portnoy is saying about Bryce Underwood after the Michigan quarterback’s first start.
Ahead of the Wolverines’ matchup against No. 18 Oklahoma on Saturday, Portnoy said he’s an eight out of 10 on the confidence scale that the Wolverines can pull off the upset victory in Norman because of Underwood.
“I’ve sat with Urban [Meyer], I’ve sat with all the quarterbacks, they’re drooling about this guy, Bryce Underwood,” Portnoy, a Michigan alum, said on Saturday’s Big Noon Kickoff. “They can’t believe what they’re seeing on tape. He’s like the supernova.
“I hope they use his legs. He didn’t run at all last week. I think they’re saving it for this week. I think he might be the single best freshman ever in college football. I like Michigan tonight.”
Underwood completed 21 of 31 passes for 251 yards and a touchdown in Michigan’s 34-17 win over New Mexico last Saturday. He also helped the Wolverines convert on 6-of-13 third-down attempts, with FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt praising Underwood for his decision-making as a passer earlier this week.
While Meyer countered Porntoy’s claim by mentioning Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, he compared the Michigan quarterback to some of the iconic players he coached at Florida and Ohio State.
“Ever is a big word, but what I saw is what I saw,” Meyer said. “I made a comment, and I had a couple of them, like a Percy Harvin, [Tim] Tebow or a Zeke Elliott, when you see that cat and you’re like, ‘My gosh.’ I saw that last week against New Mexico.”
Underwood was credited with just two carries in his first college start, and they were the two sacks he took in the game. Meyer believes that was by design, although he thinks Michigan might change that this week against Oklahoma.
“There’s no doubt they told him not to run,” Meyer said. There were a couple of times last week where he should’ve ran, but he didn’t.
“But the forward pass is back in Ann Arbor.”
Dan “Big Cat” Katz, meanwhile, believes that Oklahoma’s John Mateer is the quarterback who should be getting the glowing praise ahead of Saturday’s game. As he predicted that Mateer would play well in a Sooners victory, Portnoy still couldn’t get over what he had previously heard from Meyer.
“I don’t doubt that, but as a Michigan guy, I was at dinner and my ears perked up because an Ohio State guy was sitting next to me – and I don’t think he knew I could hear him – and he was just gushing about Bryce Underwood,” Portnoy said.
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