Kyle Whittingham’s turnaround season received major momentum. After a solid spring game, Michigan is moving into fall with positive news as its backup QB option for Bryce Underwood is recovering well after a season-ending injury in high school. This adds major depth to Whittingham’s QB position.

Reporter Brice Marich shared some good news for Kyle Whittingham and his team. He said that Brady Smigiel, who is expected to be a backup quarterback in the 2026 season, is recovering well from his injury. Smigiel is still in rehab, but he is making progress. Before the spring game, he even did some throwing on the field and looked sharp. This shows that he is getting better and moving closer to returning to full strength.

A healthy Smigiel changes the entire offensive calculus. Instead of desperately checking the transfer portal for a safety net behind Underwood, the coaching staff can comfortably let their prized recruit heal. It brings immediate peace of mind to a previously anxious quarterback room.

The setback struck last October during Newbury Park’s 31-21 win over Santa Barbara. The Michigan commit suffered a severe left ACL tear while diving across the goal line for a touchdown, prematurely ending both his season and high school career. He jumped over the goal line to score a touchdown and gave his team a 21-7 lead.

But right after that, he had trouble walking and needed help to leave the field. At first, it looked like a normal knee injury, but later tests showed it was a serious ACL tear. Doctors confirmed the injury after an MRI scan. The injury ended his 2025 season and his high school football career, too. But before getting hurt, Smigiel showed what his real potential was.

He completed 134 of 208 passes for 1,624 yards and 15 touchdowns. His strong performance showed he was one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2026 class, which is why Kyle Whittingham had high hopes for him. Before that season, he threw for 3,521 yards, 49 touchdowns, and only three interceptions. This already made him a solid backup option for Michigan, and now that he is recovering fine, that spot opens up again.

If Brady Smigiel returns healthy, he immediately elevates the quarterback competition, challenging current options like Tommy Carr, Colin Hurley, and Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi to solidify that vital QB2 spot.

Kyle Whittingham recently shared an update on Bryce Underwood and said he is still confident the young quarterback can improve in his second year. Securing that reliable backup spot is crucial because the starting role still requires heavy maintenance. With the safety net finally stabilizing behind him, the coaching staff can pour all their focus into refining their main guy without fearing a disaster in the depth chart.

Kyle Whittingham’s faith in Bryce

The former Utah HC believes Underwood will bounce back under the new offensive coordinator, Jason Beck, even after a tough first season where expectations were not fully met. Whittingham explained the difficult situation Underwood was put in as a freshman starter at a big program.

“First of all, Bryce was thrown into a pretty tough situation last fall. You know, a true freshman, 18 years old, starting quarterback, not only a P4 program, but Michigan. I mean, that’s, you know, you’re under the spotlight,” he said.

He doubled down, saying Bryce didn’t have solid support around him: “Also didn’t have a dedicated quarterback coach last year, from what I was told. And so he was a little rough around the edges, still is a bit. But we had, you talk about spring ball, but long before that, January, February, we’re in the film room and talking him through mechanics and footwork and read progressions and all that.”

It’s still a bit early to talk about cashing in on the potential. Despite spending three months in the offseason working with private QB coach Jordan Palmer to improve his footwork and throwing mechanics, Bryce Underwood still failed to show any of that offseason improvement in the spring game. He went 3-for-9 for limited yards. Then again, there is still plenty of time before the season starts, so it’s only fair to give him the benefit of the doubt and expect to see how he develops moving forward.