Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham did not recruit Bryce Underwood. He wasn’t involved in the massive NIL deal that brought Underwood to Ann Arbor. And he certainly wasn’t the coach who named the former No. 1 overall recruit the starting quarterback as a true freshman.
That could make what happens next between Whittingham and Underwood — who struggled in the Wolverines’ narrow Week 1 win over in-state foe Western Michigan — particularly interesting.
“Kyle Whittingham is not tied to Bryce Underwood,” FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt said Wednesday on “The Herd.” “It was not Kyle’s decision to give Bryce Underwood the NIL deal. He’s not as tied to Underwood as the previous coaching staff.”
That dynamic could come into focus quickly Saturday, when Michigan hosts No. 11 Oklahoma in one of the most intriguing games of Week 2.
Underwood’s first game under Whittingham didn’t exactly go according to plan. The sophomore quarterback — recruited to Michigan by former head coach Sherrone Moore and his staff — completed just 12 of 22 passes for 170 yards, one touchdown and two turnovers in the win.
Earlier this week, Whittingham made it clear that Underwood’s status as Michigan’s starting quarterback isn’t necessarily permanent.
“He’s our QB right now, and it’s not something that’s infinite,” Whittingham said. “At some point, we’ve got to turn a corner.”
Underwood appeared surprised Wednesday when a reporter asked him about his coach’s comments.
“There were comments about that?” Underwood said. “That’s cool. I didn’t see that. It’s cool.”
So, how will this all play out when Underwood and the Wolverines go up against one of the top defenses in the country Saturday afternoon in Ann Arbor?
“I think that makes this week interesting,” Klatt said. “How effective is he? How long does he stay in the game if he is ineffective? That’s a question.”
This is new territory for Whittingham, who arrived at Michigan after 20 seasons at Utah, where he became the winningest coach in program history. He inherited Underwood and the rest of the Wolverines’ roster when he took over in Ann Arbor.
Klatt believes that distinction matters, as Whittingham isn’t simply tasked with deciding whether Underwood is talented enough to be Michigan’s starting quarterback. He’s tasked with figuring out how to put him in the best possible position to succeed.
“I’m a firm believer that the best coaches put their players in the best position to be successful,” Klatt said. “So you’ve got to decide: What can our guy do well … and now let’s build a system around what he can do well.”
Bryce Underwood completed 12 of 22 passes for 170 yards, one touchdown and added two turnovers in Michigan’s Week 1 win. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
That is where Michigan appeared to struggle in Week 1.
“What it looked like against Western Michigan was oil and water,” Klatt said. “You have a quarterback running a system that just didn’t look like it was gelling.”
That will need to change on Saturday as Michigan won’t have the luxury of easing its way into its Week 2 matchup against standout quarterback John Mateer and the No. 11-ranked Sooners.
If Underwood struggles again, the question Klatt raised becomes increasingly relevant:
How much patience does Whittingham have?
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