When Michigan won the Bryce Underwood sweepstakes, many believed the top-ranked recruit would immediately come in and start under center in 2025. However, with the season less than one month away, Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore has dispelled that notion by refusing to name a starter, calling the position “an open competition” for now.
According to Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press, Moore had this to say to reporters before the start of training camp: “Before anybody asks, it’s an open competition. (Bryce) is not the starter right now…we will figure that out during camp.”
Moore is waiting for a player to command the huddle and locker room, saying that he will know who to name as the starter when someone “grabs the team.”
Underwood Ready To Put Tantalizing Talent On Display
A true freshman, Underwood enrolled early at Michigan, giving him the inside track needed to start from Day 1. The No. 1 recruit in the ESPN 300 rankings, Underwood is a Michigan native who flipped from LSU to the Wolverines, thanks in part to guidance from Tom Brady and a rumored $12 million NIL deal boosted by Oracle CEO Larry Ellison.
Underwood is about as accomplished a recruit as you’ll find in college football. He finished his high school career with a 50-4 overall record while leading Belleville to two state championships. As a senior, he passed for 2,509 yards, threw 32 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions, while rushing for over 600 yards and 6 scores. Underwood was a four-year starter who won the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award as a junior and engineered a 38-game home winning streak, something the fans in Ann Arbor can certainly appreciate.
At 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, Underwood has the size, skill set, and physicality to be an immediate difference-maker for a Wolverines offense that left plenty to be desired from the QB position a year ago.
But before Michigan fans crown their next star, there’s a proven veteran ready to make his own case.
Mikey Keene Has The Experience And Skill Set To Win QB Job
While Underwood is the most likely candidate to take the reins, don’t count out former UCF and Fresno State QB Mikey Keene.
The 5-foot-11 redshirt senior was a three-star recruit who has earned his stripes at the college level, winning the starting job at both of his previous stops. Keene has the experience and talent to seriously challenge for the starting job while giving Underwood some extra time to learn the Michigan offense. Over the course of three-plus seasons, Keene has completed 67.7% of his 1,170 pass attempts while posting an impressive 65 touchdowns and only 28 interceptions during that span.
In two seasons at Fresno State, Keene threw for twice as many TDs (42) as INTs (21) and led the program to a New Mexico Bowl win in 2023. In that game, he threw for 380 yards with three touchdowns and one pick.
Keene also has some experience playing against Big Ten teams after facing Michigan and UCLA last season. Despite playing behind an overmatched offensive line, Keene flashed his skill set, throwing for 454 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Despite finishing 0-2 in those matchups, both games were competitive with Keene keeping the Bulldogs within one score into the fourth quarter before ultimately falling short.
Who Will Win Michigan’s Starting QB Job?
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see both quarterbacks get some reps under center in Michigan’s season opener versus New Mexico on August 30. But with a date on the road at Oklahoma set for the following week, Moore will likely want to have his QB1 firmly in place before the Wolverines head into a hostile environment.
If Underwood’s raw talent and athleticism shine through in camp, and he can show poise against a veteran defense, the freshman could seize the job outright from Day 1. On the other hand, Keene’s experience, efficiency, and ability to protect the football make him a safe, reliable choice for a team with Big Ten title and College Football Playoff aspirations.
Michigan’s schedule doesn’t allow for much margin for error early in the season. After Oklahoma, the Wolverines face Nebraska, Wisconsin, USC, and Washington to open the Big Ten slate.
Underwood is widely expected to be the starter in Week 1 and beyond.
With that said, it wouldn’t be as big of a surprise as many fans think to see Keene under center to start the year. Arch Manning benefitted from backing up Quinn Ewers in his freshman campaign at Texas, so there’s already some precedent for bringing a highly-touted recruit along slowly, especially at the quarterback position.
Likewise, Underwood could benefit from spending at least a few games learning the speed and complexity of the college game before being thrown into the fire. Sitting behind Keene, even for a short stretch, would allow him to adjust to Michigan’s playbook, build chemistry with his receivers, and develop the leadership traits Moore is looking for without the pressure of immediately carrying Michigan’s national title hopes on his shoulders.
Michigan didn’t go all-in on Underwood’s talent to sit him for the entire season. Much like Manning, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him get into the game and contribute in situational football or start a few games if Keene gets banged up.
Whether it’s Week 1, Week 5, or somewhere in between, it feels inevitable that Bryce Underwood will eventually become Michigan’s starting quarterback.
The only scenario where that doesn’t happen is if Keene takes the starting job and runs with it, propelling the Wolverines to their second national title in three years. And if that’s the case, Michigan fans won’t care who’s under center, as long as they’re holding the trophy in January.
