New Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham has dozens on 1-on-1 conferences with gamers to complete up over the subsequent few days earlier than tackling expertise acquisition within the switch portal, however first, roster retention is of utmost significance.
Whittingham stated Sunday throughout his introductory press convention that the primary participant he sat down with was freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, the top-rated participant within the 2025 recruiting cycle who has eclipsed 2,500 yards of whole offense this season forward of Wednesday’s battle towards Texas within the Citrus Bowl.
“I did loads of listening,” Whittingham stated of his 45-minute dialog with Underwood. “I wished suggestions from him, I wished to get to know him. All the things from rising up, household, what’s necessary to him — it was an amazing dialog. He is a particular younger man. Carries himself the suitable method, you bought to have a quarterback that has that ‘it’ issue and Bryce positively has that ‘it’ issue.
“Together with a ton of expertise. Huge, robust child. 6-foot-4, 225-plus kilos. His ceiling may be very excessive, and the offense that we’re going to herald right here I feel will go well with him to a T. I feel he’ll actually, actually excel and have an amazing expertise right here.”
Forward of Whittingham’s assembly with Michigan’s beginning quarterback in Orlando, Underwood stated he was “excited” to talk with the previous Utah coach given his expansive resume of success.
“Very excited to determine what sort of man he’s. I do not actually know an excessive amount of about him. I am simply excited to determine what sort of man he’s,” Underwood stated.
Underwood stated he is made no plans for past the bowl sport for 2026 and can “determine it out” together with his household.
CBS Sports activities’ Matt Zenitz reported this weekend that Whittingham is focusing on Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck as his play-caller in Ann Arbor, a obligatory potential acquisition given his impression on the Utes’ offense this season.
Utah ranked second nationally in dashing this season at 269.7 yards per sport on the bottom and fifth nationally in scoring at 41.1 factors per sport. Whittingham acknowledged Sunday that Michigan’s offense will carry a “physicality-first” mindset and every part begins for the Wolverines on the line of scrimmage.
If Underwood returns, he’ll be the headliner for a Michigan offense anticipated to carry again ballcarrier Jordan Marshall, a number of gamers up entrance and wideout Andrew Marsh, amongst others. Requested what sort of offense Michigan can have in 2026, Whittingham went into element on his plan.
“Unfold. We will base it out of the unfold,” Whittingham stated. “Eleven personnel will probably be our base personnel group. We will run the soccer effectively. The one people who had been in the identical class as us [at Utah] had been the service academies — Air Power, Navy. In any other case, I consider that should you can run the soccer successfully, every part occurs off of that.”
Uncooked as a passer throughout his first season within the Huge Ten, Underwood accomplished 61.1% of his passes for two,229 yards with 9 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He is snug and succesful as a runner, an space that could possibly be additional developed below Whittingham’s most well-liked scheme.
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier rushed for 687 yards and 7 touchdowns this season whereas backup Byrd Ficklin, a freshman, managed 503 yards and 10 scores on simply 56 makes an attempt.
Whittingham, who went 177-88 with the Utes, was employed to stabilize a program in disarray following the firing of Sherrone Moore, a bitter ending to a scandal-ridden period that overlaps Michigan’s unbeaten, nationwide title marketing campaign in 2023.
Whittingham stated Michigan was one in all a handful of jobs throughout the nation that he would say “sure” to when the search landed on him.
“What you may count on? Physicality will probably be our calling card,” Whittingham stated. “We had been essentially the most bodily group in no matter league we performed in. I consider in operating the soccer and defending the run. Should you can win the road of scrimmage, be bodily up entrance.”
