The arrival of Kyle Whittingham as Michigan’s new head coach has triggered a terrifying question. Who’s staying and who’s leaving? When a legendary 20-year coach from Utah replaces a fired head coach mid-season, roster uncertainty is inevitable. But for Whittingham, there’s one player whose future matters more than anyone else’s. It’s freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. 

Whittingham, during his introductory press conference on Sunday, revealed that he’s already had a one-on-one chat with the young quarterback. And it was the only individual meeting he’s conducted since arriving in Orlando. “You can probably guess who that is, our quarterback, Bryce Underwood,” Whittingham said. “Spent about 45 minutes with him this morning.” The meeting, described as “a great conversation,” was clearly designed to ease any concerns Underwood might have about the coaching change and lay out a vision for how the offense will be tailored around his unique skill set. 

Whittingham didn’t stop at scheduling the meeting. He said, “College football is about players. If you have good players, you have a chance.” He went out of his way to lavish praise on Underwood in a way that few coaches do publicly. “He’s a special young man,” Whittingham told reporters. “He has the ‘It Factor.’ His ceiling is very high, and the offense we’re going to bring in here is going to fit him to a T. He’s going to excel.” These are calculated statements designed to make Underwood feel valued and central to the program’s plans. 

But even with Whittingham rolling out the red carpet, Underwood hasn’t rushed into any commitments. Speaking to reporters ahead of Michigan’s Citrus Bowl matchup with Texas, he made it clear he’s taking his time. “Very excited to figure out what kind of guy he is,” Underwood said of Whittingham. “I don’t really know too much about him. I’m just excited to figure out what kind of guy he is.”

When pressed about his future, Underwood deflected, saying his focus is on the bowl game. “Right now, we’re about to play this bowl game, so that’s the main focus in my head right now. After December 31st, we’ll figure it out.” He added that any decision would involve conversations with his family and a deeper understanding of Whittingham’s offensive philosophy and the coordinator hire. 

If Whittingham can seal the deal and keep Underwood in Ann Arbor, it would be the single most important win of his early tenure. Losing a talent like Underwood, who has elite deep-ball accuracy and a gunslinger mentality, would be catastrophic for a program trying to stabilize. Underwood even shared news of Whittingham’s hiring on Instagram, a subtle but meaningful signal of buy-in. So, the early signs point toward Underwood sticking around. But until December 31st passes and Underwood makes his final call, Michigan fans will be holding their breath. 

Physicality, family, and championship expectations

Apart from the Underwood update, Whittingham used his first press conference to lay out exactly what Michigan fans should expect. When asked what his teams will look like in Ann Arbor, Whittingham said, “Our team will fall in line with what Michigan is used to… what you can expect, physicality will be our calling card.”

He detailed his philosophy of running the football and defending the run, emphasizing that controlling the line of scrimmage is the foundation for winning. “Physicality, toughness, and grit” were the three words he kept circling back to. Whittingham also made it clear he had “no hesitation” taking the job despite all the turmoil within the program and athletic department, including the lack of a permanent university president. “I’ve got full confidence we’ll come out here just fine,” he said, projecting a calm authority that’s been sorely missing in Ann Arbor.​

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But perhaps most importantly for players like Bryce Underwood who are weighing their futures, Whittingham emphasized the culture he plans to build. “Family culture, without a doubt.” “We love the players, the players love each other,” he said, adding that “nobody is above the team.” 

Whittingham also didn’t shy away from expectations. He stated flatly that making the College Football Playoff “year in and year out” is the bar. When asked about the resources he’ll have (particularly around NIL), Whittingham called it “absolutely exciting” and said getting the “top-tier” resources needed to build the roster is “job number two” after retention.