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The Sherrone Moore era at Michigan officially has its quarterback. At Monday’s press conference, Moore confirmed that true freshman Bryce Underwood will start for the Wolverines when they take the field this fall.
“Bryce Underwood will be our starting quarterback, I’ll confirm that… He’s earned the opportunity. It was not given to him… Bryce took the necessary steps and really took the position… took ownership of his abilities and took ownership of the team and became a leader on the team and a guy that guys look to.”
– Sherrone Moore via The Wolverine Youtube
Moore noted that sophomore Jadyn Davis will back up Underwood, pointing out his growth during camp. “He’s taken the next steps,” Moore added.
Underwood Wins the Job
Moore revealed that he and the staff knew by the middle of camp that Underwood was separating himself. A standout scrimmage performance at Michigan Stadium sealed it.
“He made a couple throws and I just looked at Chip and he just nodded at me and looked at coach Poek who’s behind me. I was like yeah I think this is the guy. But you wanted to see him do that every day, every practice, every time we went into the stadium.”
– Sherrone Moore via The Wolverine Youtube
Underwood, who just turned 18, has shown poise well beyond his age. Moore recalled breaking the news to him earlier in the week: “He was as calm as he always is. I think his dad was a little bit more excited and more emotional about it than than Bryce was… He was very happy though… He was very excited about the opportunity.”
Offensive Line and Key Starters
Moore also unveiled Michigan’s projected starting offensive line:
- LT: Evan Link
- LG: Giovanni El-Hadi
- C: Greg Crippen
- RG: Brady Norton, with Nathan Efobi also in the rotation
- RT: Andrew Sprague
He praised the unit’s depth, naming Lawrence Hattar, Jake Guarnera, and Blake Frazier as players expected to contribute.
On the receiving end, Donaven McCulley has emerged as the clear No. 1 after a strong camp. “He will be the number one guy. You go out there in 11 personnel day one and it’s going to be Semaj Morgan. And the other guy that’s really stepped up is Channing Goodwin.“
Defensive Depth Emerging
On defense, Moore emphasized the competition across the board. “There’s just so many guys that could play… you don’t blink if this guy’s out there versus that guy. We’re going to roll guys. ”
- At corner, Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry are locked in, but Moore also highlighted Shamari Earls, Jo‘Ziah Edmond, Jayden Sanders, and Elijah Dotson as pushing hard for snaps.
- Along the defensive line, Michigan will rotate five to seven players at tackle.
“It’s fun to have competition and guys pushing guys so nobody can get comfortable… We always talk about growth and comfort don’t coexist.”
– Sherrone Moore via The Wolverine Youtube
Injuries and Updates
Moore confirmed that offensive lineman Andrew Babalola will miss the season with a knee injury and undergo surgery. “He’s in good spirits, and we’ll take care of him and he’ll come out stronger than ever,” Moore said.
Meanwhile, Moore noted steady progress for several players working back from injuries but stressed the staff won’t rush returns, leaving the final call to medical evaluations.
Final Thoughts
For Michigan, naming Underwood the starter is more than just setting the depth chart, it’s about signaling a new standard as the Wolverines enter 2025 with high expectations.
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Richard Knight
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