Year 2 for Bryce Underwood is going to be an exciting time for Michigan. The star QB returns as a more experienced player and will have the guidance of new head coach Kyle Whittingham. Being a quarterback guru, the coach had a very interesting comp in mind for the 18-year-old elite QB.

“He kind of reminds me of Cam Newton,” Whittingham told On3. “As far as his charisma, his stature, big dude, 6-4+, 240 pounds, live arm, great athlete. Flashes that smile a lot like Cam did. That’s probably the guy that comes to mind mostly. [We] haven’t had anybody that is quite of this skillset.”

Underwood getting this comparison from his head coach is a big deal, considering Newton is twice his age. The senior QB is a Heisman winner, went on to be the No. 1 pick in the draft, and also became MVP of the 2015 NFL season. Whittingham has now brought on a lot of pressure on his young star’s shoulders with this parallel, but Underwood charting a similar career isn’t entirely impossible. After all, he was the talk of the town for being the No. 1 recruit of the 2025 cycle. He came to Michigan with a prep career total of more than 12,000 all-purpose yards.

Underwood was on training wheels last season. But this year, Whittingham and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock are committed to freeing him up as a player. They will particularly be focusing on his rushing abilities, since he is a dual-threat quarterback. Newton, too, had quite the zip in his legs, making this yet another area where they overlap. Reputed college football analyst Josh Pate also likened the two quarterbacks after Michigan defeated Nebraska because of the way Underwood used his legs. It reminded him of the way Newton grew into a sensation with the rushing skills that he displayed in the 2010 season at Auburn, particularly in the LSU game.

Bryce Underwood at Michigan this year cannot attempt a recreation of that glorious season Newton spent as a Tiger. It is still regarded by fans as one of the best recorded by a single player, because he also got Auburn a National Championship. But Underwood also went through a chaotic offseason, with leadership being changed and scrutiny on his chances of doing better. However, he remains Michigan’s biggest weapon , even with the flaws he needs to chip away. Whittingham has to ensure that the signal-caller is able to be that for the team this year. 

The Cam Newton comparison is going to be a major push for Underwood. Physically, the two are extremely similar. And in year 2, it’s expected that the Michigan QB is able to get more confident as a passer, because he can also let it rip through the air like Newton did. Underwood passed for 2,428 yards and scored 11 touchdowns, but threw nine interceptions. Rookie jitters or just bad play, he will have to work on cutting that number down in his second year as a starter.

Just like Whittingham has unwavering faith in Underwood, the QB also feels a similar way.

Bryce Underwood was always going to be at Michigan

Underwood was no longer that No. 1 recruit when the season started to take its toll on him. He lost some accuracy, finishing the season with nine interceptions. And, he was also subjected to some harsh scrutiny when Michigan was gripped by chaos when former head coach Sherrone Moore was fired. In such a situation, with nothing holding steady around him at that point, he had all the reasons to transfer out. However, Underwood was in it for the long run, no matter who ran the program.

“I was gonna stay home no matter what,” Underwood said. “(It’s) a blessing. Blessing to have him (Whittingham) here, and he’s pushing us way differently, pushing us to be the best we can possibly be,” Underwood said.

The QB and Whittingham find themselves on the same plane. They’re both entering the season with a lot of responsibility on them, and that too in entirely new environments. But if the head coach thinks he’s got some Cam Newton magic in him, we will be seeing a trailer of what is set to come in the later years. The $12 million-worth quarterback may also end up embodying elements of the $50 million worth senior signal caller by that time.