Kyle Whittingham all but confirms Bryce Underwood will return to Michigan

The transfer portal has gotten off to an active start this offseason, especially at the quarterback position. Since the portal opened on January 2nd, several high-profile QBs have entered, with a select few already committing to new schools. One of the biggest names drawing attention during this period has been Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood. 

After flipping his commitment late to Michigan last year with a lucrative NIL deal offer, Underwood had an overall underwhelming freshman season that was capped off by turmoil within the program. With his head coach and most of the rest of the coaching staff no longer in Ann Arbor, many believed Underwood might look elsewhere and enter the transfer portal.

Those rumors were largely put to rest Monday morning when new Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham appeared on FOX’s Wake Up Barstool show. When asked about Underwood and where his “recruitment” currently stands Whittingham said, “I think Bryce is in a good place right now, and I think we might be getting an announcement here pretty soon.” He went on to say that he believes the young quarterback has really enjoyed his time in Ann Arbor and even labeled him as one of the Wolverines’ “team leaders.”

While this is obviously nothing official and Whittingham did finish by saying, “you never know until it’s a done deal”, these comments strongly suggest Underwood will return to Michigan next season. Now it’s no secret that former head coach Sherrone Moore and the previous staff were not major factors in Underwood’s decision to commit to Michigan in the first place, so a return would not be all that surprising despite all the change within the program

If Underwood does officially announce a return to Ann Arbor, he would enter next season as the starting quarterback in a new offense led by newly hired offensive coordinator Jason Beck. This will be Beck’s fourth consecutive season serving as an OC at a new school, as Whittingham brought him over from Utah where he held the same role last season. Prior to that, Beck was the offensive coordinator at New Mexico, where he was alongside quarterback Devon Dampier, who was also Utah’s starter in 2025.

Whittingham has long been known for having a run-heavy offense, and Beck’s system aligns with that style. His offensive approach is considered to be quarterback-friendly and likes to utilize the QBs mobility and legs. This was an element that appeared to be limited in Underwood’s play last season, as the true freshman was rarely utilized as a rushing threat.

In addition to Beck, Whittingham also brought in quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer Jr. from Utah’s staff. Last season, Michigan did not have a coach dedicated solely to the quarterback position, as offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey handled those responsibilities. That lack of position-specific coaching became a major point of concern for Michigan fans following Underwood’s freshman season as there was a noticeable lack of development.

In his debut season, Underwood started all 13 games for the Wolverines, completing 60.3% of his passes for 2,428 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. As the season progressed though, there were few signs of real growth or improvement in his game. If Underwood officially announces a return to Michigan as Whittingham has hinted, it would solidify a major piece of the offseason for the new head coach, and expectations will be high for Underwood to take a significant step forward in year two.