If Michigan doesn't want to help develop QBs over 3-5 seasons and wants to focus on 1-2 year QB rentals then it should commit to that strategy. But a fan saying "Bryce will never be the quarterback we hoped" is arrogant nonsense.

Posted on September 9, 2026 at 10:00:52 AM by Rose Bowl Champion (edited September 9, 2026 at 10:17:52 AM)

In the past 10 years, we've seen a lot of QBs improve dramatically as upperclassmen in a different system/scheme with new coaches.

But somehow Bryce Underwood is some impenetrable, irredeemable conundrum because Michigan™ Football and mediocre QB play go hand-in-hand while the rest of college football continually adapts upwards? I categorically reject such an opinion.

2023 Michigan supposedly had a dominant run attack but it didn't even break 2700 rushing yards (even after going nuclear on the mediocre Washington defense). To contextualize this, consider the following: 2025 Indiana (in 1 additional game) had 3400+ rushing yards.

Michigan should modernize its offense. Imagine if Ed Orgeron had foolishly continued to run the same Michigan/Schembechler-coded, run-oriented offense of the Les Miles era into 2019.

We would've never seen the record-breaking, ultra explosive 2019 LSU offense.

Michigan's desire to over-emphasize the run simply because of decades of tradition has held Michigan back and will continue to hold Michigan back until we change. (And Jim Harbaugh is a 1 of 1.) Bryce should be operating in 11 personnel and pinging passes all over the field.

Additionally, does anyone think 2019 LSU wasn't physical™ because it passed the ball? No. If anything, LSU's run game improved significantly because defenses were forced to defend the entire field which made it easier to run in the box out of LSU's RPO offense.

Back to the board

Thread:

on Bryce, the absurdity of considering Tommy, and the Knucklehead A.D. - By jonpc September 9, 2026 at 09:31:29 AM
- The Oklahoma and Texas ganes were first announced in 2014 shortly after the Notre Dame series ended ... - By Cutter September 9, 2026 at 10:50:25 AM
  - If USC and ND can be cancelled then......* - By jonpc September 9, 2026 at 11:05:42 AM
    - Canceled and then brought back again ... - By Cutter September 9, 2026 at 12:29:31 PM
- What's your level of certainty about your most important assertion? - By weebay September 9, 2026 at 10:48:20 AM
- Bryce is being paid as if he were elite. We need to shed him from the payroll somehow or adjust his pay to market value. He could want a fresh start after this szn* - By hambone September 9, 2026 at 10:21:15 AM
  - The senatorial and regent elections could do it (nm) - By danny September 9, 2026 at 10:22:26 AM
    - We shouldn’t have anything to do with that scumbag anyway. It is monumentally inappropriate to have a booster trying to use the football program as leverage over ostensibly democratic election outcomes. Fuck AI, fuck Ellison, fuck Jolin, and fuck Bryce too if he decides to walk over this shit. - By Ev September 9, 2026 at 10:43:49 AM
- "Bryce will never be the quarterback we hoped for" - jonpc / I'm tired of reading comments like this from fans who expect highly rated QBs to perform like seasoned upperclassmen when the young QBs haven't had enough time to climb the developmental learning curve.* - By Rose Bowl Champion September 9, 2026 at 09:35:43 AM
  - You'll continue to hear them if said young QB is getting paid like a seasoned upperclassman* - By mtb September 9, 2026 at 12:07:43 PM
  - Hope you are right. Really, I hope to say that I was absolutely wrong. I love Bryce's attitude. I love his physical traits. - By jonpc September 9, 2026 at 10:10:02 AM
  - What if stress is on the word "we"? As in Bryce may need to, and probably will, go somewhere else to be the QB he can be?* - By ftb September 9, 2026 at 10:09:35 AM
    - Then it would be an indisputable indictment on Michigan's outdated approach to football. In my reply to Cincy and BBA, I've expounded on my frustrations. It's high time Michigan Football adapts. - By Rose Bowl Champion September 9, 2026 at 10:17:08 AM
  - Sounded like coaches expected him to perform that way too, no?* - By BBA September 9, 2026 at 09:58:13 AM
    - BBA, I agree. I have very high hopes for Bryce Underwood but I can't look past how Michigan has played football for decades: it essentially deemphasizes QB play. - By Rose Bowl Champion September 9, 2026 at 10:11:20 AM
      - Good points regarding Michigan's history of extreme risk aversion in football. - By jonpc September 9, 2026 at 10:40:36 AM
  - That ignores the reality of todays college game and transfer portal. It is like Dabo saying we aint doing things like LSU...and getting whooped* - By Cincywolve September 9, 2026 at 09:44:50 AM
    - If Michigan doesn't want to help develop QBs over 3-5 seasons and wants to focus on 1-2 year QB rentals then it should commit to that strategy. But a fan saying "Bryce will never be the quarterback we hoped" is arrogant nonsense. - By Rose Bowl Champion September 9, 2026 at 10:00:52 AM
      - I agree in part and disagree in part - By jonpc September 9, 2026 at 11:02:07 AM
      - Yes a 3-5 year development cycle is beyond ridiculous when that avg tenure of a star QB is a season. **** - By Cincywolve September 9, 2026 at 10:09:12 AM

The Victors

If Michigan doesn't want to help develop QBs over 3-5 seasons and wants to focus on 1-2 year QB rentals then it should commit to that strategy. But a fan saying "Bryce will never be the quarterback we hoped" is arrogant nonsense.