‘Bryce Underwood Is the Biggest Problem,’ ‘Does He Love Football?’ — Michigan QB’s Commitment to the Sport Called Into Question Amid Major Struggles

Sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood struggled in the Michigan Wolverines’ 20-14 Week 5 loss to the Minnesota Golden Gophers on the road. Underwood completed 10 of 21 passes for 101 yards and 2 interceptions, adding 20 rushing yards on 10 carries as the Wolverines slumped to a woeful 0-2 Big Ten record.

CBS Sports writer Brandon Marcello questioned Underwood’s commitment to improving his gameplay.

CBS Sports Writer Blasts Bryce Underwood’s Commitment

During Monday’s segment of the “College Football Insiders” show, Marcello detailed the genesis of Underwood’s struggles in Ann Arbor in his second year.

“Also, [Bryce Underwood] probably doesn’t have a great, healthy ecosystem around him,”Marcello said. “Someone who’s got several cars. He’s very much enjoying that big payday that he got from Michigan just two years ago after flirting around with LSU as well. There’s some question there about whether he’s actually fully committed to football. Does he love football? Is he obsessed with football?”

The CBS writer added, “Is he the type of player that is going to just absolutely envelop himself with that playbook and focus on the things that he has to correct to get better? But when I hear things from people who would know, that he just doesn’t process things well in live action. That should not be something he’s dealing with in Year Two in the middle of a season.”

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Underwood was the No. 1-ranked quarterback and overall prospect in the class of 2025, and the Wolverines’ boosters went all in to acquire his signature after he initially committed to the LSU Tigers before he chose to join Michigan.

Michigan significantly increased its NIL offer to flip Underwood from LSU, with reports valuing the package at eight figures over four years.

Underwood became an immediate starter as a freshman under former coach Sherrone Moore, showing flashes of brilliance and finishing the 2025 season with 2,428 passing yards on 60.3% completion, 11 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions, adding 392 rushing yards and 6 scores.

The Michigan QB struggled in Michigan’s controversial 13-12 win over Western Michigan, which came after a replay review restored 1 second to the game-winning Hail Mary. The NCAA later determined that proper replay protocols were not followed and said the outcome would have been different had they been followed.

Underwood has amassed 881 passing yards on 59.3% completion, 5 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions, adding 212 rushing yards and 2 scores for the Wolverines this season, earning a PFN’s CFB QB Impact grade of 75.1 (No. 76 in college football).

Marcello further declared that Underwood is Michigan’s biggest problem in an offense that has earned a PFN’s CFB Offense Impact grade of 68.8 (No. 102 nationally).

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“To me, Bryce Underwood is the biggest problem that Michigan has right now,” Marcello said. “I know we’re gonna talk about the culture and Kyle Whittingham and all that, but when you have a quarterback that just doesn’t see things well and can’t figure things out as the game goes on, you have no shot in the Big Ten.”

Freshman quarterback Tommy Carr is Underwood’s backup after beating Colorado State transfer Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi to the job during camp. If the QB1’s struggles continue, he could be in line to start for the beleaguered Wolverines.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.