After escaping Western Michigan with a win in their season opener, the Wolverines have deservedly faced criticism. It took a few days for the fans to move on from the drama surrounding Michigan’s Hail Mary touchdown. On Monday, the focus returned to Bryce Underwood’s performance, with Kyle Whittingham commenting on the future of his QB1. In response, Underwood appeared unfazed, drawing intense reactions from fans.
“He’s our QB right now. It’s not something that’s infinite,” Michigan head coach Whittingham said during his press conference on September 7 when asked about how firm he is on having Underwood as his QB1. “At some point, we’ve got to turn a corner, and we’ve got to see improvement.”
What was more surprising was the reaction Underwood gave after he was asked for his thoughts on his HC’s statement. “There were comments about that?” Underwood said, as reported by On3 on September 9. “That’s cool. I haven’t seen that. It’s cool.”
The clueless look on Underwood’s face has made him a target of mockery. It came after the Michigan QB1 had already been called out for his performance against the Broncos.
Underwood started the Week 1 game on a high note, leading Michigan to a touchdown drive on its first possession. However, it went downhill from there. The offense couldn’t register another point on the scoreboard until late in the fourth quarter.
The Hail Mary touchdown may have saved Michigan from an embarrassing loss, but the game still left the fans with the same set of questions they had about their QB last season. Can he lead a college offense?
During the fall camp, offensive coordinator Jason Beck was happy with what he was seeing from Underwood. The passing mechanics looked fixed for a moment against Western Michigan, but when he faced consistent pressure, the same habits that plagued him in 2025 returned.
In total, the QB passed for 170 yards on 12 out of 22 completions. He also rushed for 47 yards. But the performance was full of mistakes, including a late 4th quarter fumble with less than two minutes on the clock that nearly cost Michigan the game. And now, his response to what Whittingham said has only added to fans’ fury against Underwood.
“Ironically, he doesn’t see the field well either,” one fan commented on the statement made by the QB. Another comment by a fan read, “$10-12 million dollar response.”
Some fans are also coming around Underwood, but with a sense of pity. That’s not where you want to be as a player, especially if you are the star of the team. “I feel bad for the kid; he’s cooked, and he knows it,” a fan said.
Another fan questioned whether Michigan has prepared Underwood for facing the media. “There is no way he’s media trained,” the comment read.
Many reactions also reflected concern about what awaits the QB in Week 2. If he couldn’t get through a Western Michigan defense, imagine what Brent Venables has in store for Underwood. Last season, Oklahoma exposed the QB’s flaws in its game against Michigan. That was the first time fans saw Underwood’s inability to read coverage and handle pressure.
Things are only going to get difficult as the Sooners come to Ann Arbor for their Week 2 matchup. For now, Whittingham believes in Underwood. However, if the offense continues to struggle, something will have to change. The head coach named Tommy Carr as QB1 on Monday. Carr massively impressed coaches by thoroughly outplaying Underwood during the spring game.