Sports · American Football · 3 hrs ago
Michigan Benches Bryce Underwood After Struggles, Raising Questions About Big Deals
Michigan benched quarterback Bryce Underwood after he struggled against Penn State.
The highly rated recruit joined the Wolverines as the team moved from Jim Harbaugh to Sherrone Moore, but the article says he has had two years and two coaching staffs without consistent strong performances.
Michigan is paying Underwood about $3 million a year, and a recruiting analyst said the team may have offered far more than other schools would.
His struggles have turned the deal into a warning about big spending on high school quarterbacks, who are still untested at college level.
Michigan’s current coaches Kyle Whittingham and Jason Beck have seen little tangible progress, while the article also points to changes in the program and Underwood’s own development as factors.
Backup Tommy Carr may start against No.
6 Indiana on Saturday, though Underwood could still play again for Michigan or elsewhere.
Michigan benched quarterback Bryce Underwood after an underwhelming performance against Penn State.
The decision has raised questions about the value of Michigan’s reported deal with the former top recruit.
A recruiting analyst said Michigan may have offered more than other teams were willing to pay.
Two Power Four general managers described paying heavily for a high school quarterback as a gamble.
- Who
- Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood was benched.
- What
- Michigan’s decision has prompted scrutiny of its investment in Underwood.
- When
- Saturday, during the first half of Michigan’s game against Penn State.
- Where
- Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- Why
- The article says Underwood had another underwhelming outing and had not delivered the expected results.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Underwood played for Michigan across two coaching staffs and recorded what the article describes as a dozen middling performances.
Underwood left the field during the first half against Penn State and was benched.
- Reported annual cost
- Around $3 million
- Recruiting status
- No. 1 overall recruit
- Opponent
- Penn State
- Next opponent mentioned
- No. 6 Indiana
What people are saying
Underwood’s value, I think, what Michigan was willing to pay him was way more than what anyone else was willing to pay him
Michigan didn’t need Bryce Underwood. Let him go somewhere else for $3 million. There are plenty of quarterbacks that can get you to a championship that are not named Bryce Underwood.
Spending big on a high school QB is a massive gamble, and it’s really hard on both sides because there is an urgency to play that player early because of the money.