Michigan’s quarterback conversation has been the headline of fall camp, but the conversation might be more about when than who. The Wolverines, gearing up for a pivotal 2025 season, are on the verge of naming their next QB1. And while official word hasn’t dropped yet, all signs, whispers, and reps point in one direction, toward Bryce Underwood, the blue-chip true freshman already commanding much of the spotlight in Ann Arbor.

For head coach Sherrone Moore, though, the public message remains competition-first. As Brice Marich tweeted, “#Michigan HC Sherrone Moore says he wants to see his starting quarterback be a consistent performer and continue to keep the level of play the next few practices.” That word, consistent, is telling. Moore isn’t interested in highlight-reel flashes that fizzle out the next day. He’s looking for someone who can lead on Monday, Wednesday, and game day with the same poise and execution.

Adding a layer of theater to this decision, Austin Meek shared Moore’s promise of a formal reveal: “Sherrone Moore says he’ll have a quarterback announcement the Monday of game week. ‘Set your clocks,’ he said.” The timeline is now locked, the pressure points are being pressed, and no one is ignoring the fact that Underwood has been running with starters in key drills while veteran Mikey Keene continues working back from injury. In most camps, that shift in practice snaps is the real announcement before the announcement.

Of course, looming over all this was NFL legend and Michigan alum Tom Brady, who recently sounded off about the modern college football landscape on The Joel Klatt Show. Brady talked about the value of competition and how it shaped him, referring to the fierce competitiveness in college football. Underwood’s path to Michigan’s QB1 wasn’t exactly the uphill slog that Brady endured. Brady began buried seventh on Michigan’s depth chart, fought off Drew Henson for the job, and left for the NFL as one of the winningest Wolverines QBs in history.

That’s the challenge, and maybe the caution, baked into this moment. Underwood hasn’t had to weather the prolonged grind that made Brady the GOAT, but he is walking into a massive responsibility. At 18 years old, he’s likely about to be handed the keys to a program coming off a frustrating QB campaign in 2024, one with playoff expectations from Day 1. Moore’s words about consistency are the standard Underwood must hit from his first red-zone rep against Fresno State to the final snap against Ohio State in November.

And make no mistake, this is functionally his job already. The announcement might still be on the calendar, but unless something seismic happens in these ‘next few practices,’ Bryce Underwood’s Wolverines era is about to begin, with Tom Brady’s ghost of competition watching over him from Week 1 onward.

Tom Brady’s take on today’s college football landscape

When Tom Brady speaks about football, it’s with the weight of someone who clawed his way to the very top through relentless competition and grit. In a recent episode of The Joel Klatt Show, Brady reflected on his own journey at Michigan, where he wasn’t a highly touted recruit but battled his way from seventh on the depth chart to starter against fierce competition. Brady described his college experience as “very challenging” and “very competitive,” saying those traits “transformed my life as a professional.” Unlike today’s environment, Brady’s path was about earning every snap, which built his self-belief and confidence to overcome anything on the field or off.

Brady also issued a strong warning about the current state of college football, where transfers and NIL deals have shifted the balance of power to players, often encouraging easier routes to starting roles. “I think all these things that are happening in college sports, we’re prioritizing the wrong things. We’re valuing the wrong things,” Brady said. He emphasized the importance of competition, sharing, “I was ready to compete against anybody because the competition in college toughened me up so much that I had a self-belief and self-confidence in myself… I think if we take that away from a young student athlete… and put you somewhere else so that you don’t have to compete, that is absolutely the wrong thing to do to a young child.”

His critique highlights a belief that the grind and proving ground of college football shouldn’t be softened for today’s recruits. This viewpoint casts an interesting lens on Bryce Underwood’s bright but relatively cushioned start at Michigan. Underwood entered college as a blue-chip star, with millions in NIL deals already secured, and quickly emerged as the favorite to win the starting quarterback job, something Brady only earned after years of hard work against established starters like Brian Griese and Drew Henson.

Unlike Brady, Underwood’s path wasn’t a battle. At just 18, Underwood carries immense expectations and talent, but Brady’s words serve as a reminder that sustaining greatness requires embracing the hard work and competition that made legends like Brady themselves. In short, Tom Brady’s reflections critique the modern college football landscape and stress the enduring value of competition—a message that resonates strongly as Bryce Underwood prepares to quarterback Michigan under the spotlight, facing the challenge of living up to his own hype and the legacy of those who came before him.