Protecting Bryce Underwood Investment, Sherrone Moore Sends Strong Message With 2,376-Yard Transfer Move

What has been one of the biggest regrets for Sherrone Moore during last season? One Big Ten coach rightly pointed out, “They would’ve been a serious postseason contender last year if they had a quarterback on the roster.” With JJ McCarthy out, Moore’s quarterback room hung loose. Not to witness a deja vu moment, the head coach did not waste time and snagged Bryce Underwood away from LSU. Even if it meant dishing out a fat $12 million NIL check. Now that the quarterback is in Ann Arbor, protecting him becomes the top priority for Moore.

“The focus is on [Bryce] Underwood, but it should be on finding new backs to go with him,” came another reminder. When it comes to guarding his quarterback with a strong wide receiver, Moore has already done his best. He has signed Justice Haynes (Alabama), CJ Hester (UMass), and John Volker (Princeton). However, Moore is not just leaving the fate of his program in the hands of the wide receiving corps. He juggled a rotating cast of quarterbacks during the 2024 season, with three different quarterbacks starting games for the Wolverines. The goal of Moore right now? To have enough insurance to get through the 2025 season at quarterback.

On June 13, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported, “Quarterback transfer Jake Garcia visited Michigan this week, a source tells @CBSSports. Garcia, a former top-50 overall recruit who began his career at Miami, threw for 1,426 yards at ECU last year. Between Miami and ECU, he spent a year at Missouri.” Moore is on his way to add ECU transfer Jake Garcia. This marks Michigan’s fifth quarterback option. They already landed Underwood and Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene. At the same time, two of their quarterbacks, Jadyn Davis and Davis Warren, are returning. But among them, Underwood is already turning heads.

As Chris Balas said, “Bryce Underwood, from practice one to practice 15, and what he brings to the table in terms of physical skills, is like nothing anybody’s ever seen here before.” So, now you know why Moore is obsessed with hoarding quarterbacks. And is desperate about landing Garcia, who will be on his fourth college football stop after previous stints at Miami, Missouri, and ECU. The young chap promises stability. In his two seasons in Miami, he racked up 950 yards and seven touchdowns. After transferring to ECU, he took on a larger role, throwing for 1,426 yards, eight touchdowns, and 12 interceptions over six appearances. Well, we know Moore must be looking for someone to protect Underwood with a more even stat line. 

But he can’t doubt that having been exposed to different systems makes Garcia adapt in a better way. As Gerald V Dixon stated, “protecting him in the understanding of you don’t have to be Superman.” So, Moore is looking for a seasoned player who can provide depth, mentorship, and readiness in case of injury or inconsistency. Already, Underwood is putting his efforts into the program’s upliftment, making the urge to protect even more. 

Sherrone Moore’s new recruiting weapon

Walking into Moore’s squad, Underwood has already stepped on hot coal. He joined a program that failed to defend its National Championship title and could not punch its playoff tickets. That’s when ESPN’s Jake Trotter dished out a reality check for Moore’s quarterback.  “With all of that comes immense expectations. The Wolverines brought in veteran Mikey Keene from Fresno State to serve as a bridge quarterback. But ultimately, the onus is going to fall on Underwood to prove he’s worth the hype and money.”

While Underwood is yet to prove himself on the gridiron, he has started to pull the strings in the off-season itself. Right now, Michigan is going turbo mode on the recruiting trail. They have their eyes on their hot target, 5-star prospect Felix Ojo. Like Moore, the other coaches are also eyeing the Lake Ridge High School star, who holds offers from Colorado, Michigan, Texas, and Ole Miss, among others. But Moore’s Michigan is already threatening competitors like Deion Sanders. Wondering how?

Thanks to Bryce Underwood. He has joined hands with Sherrone Moore to woo Ojo. As Steve Wiltfong reported, “He spent time with Bryce Underwood, Michigan’s prized true freshman, the number one player in the country per On3 in the 2025 cycle…Bryce Underwood told him that the reasons he came to Michigan, outside of NIL obviously, were development and culture. And then the offense, it’s still very similar to the one they ran under Jim Harbaugh, a pro-style scheme that gets everybody ready to rip and roar for Sundays.” And how can we ignore the social media exchanges between the two? Ojo dropped a cryptic post tagging Moore’s No.1 quarterback, “@19bryce._ _ Is this da move?” Underwood followed it up with a reply, “yk what to do.” Now you see why Moore guards Underwood like a treasure box!