Conventional wisdom dictates that a true freshman quarterback shouldn’t be handed the reins of your program, especially at a blueblood where the pressure is at 11. There’s almost a prejudicial stigma around it. But it’s rational. Not only can it affect results in the immediate, but it can also have a lasting effect on the trajectory of the player themselves. For every Trevor Lawrence, there are countless others who crumbled under duress. But pressure isn’t even the main reason to err on the side of caution and patience with freshmen. The physical deficit of someone who has just come from high school is a huge sticking point. These players need time to develop into their man bodies. Bulk up. Gain some pounds. But gaining weight is drinking from a poisoned chalice. Something Michigan’s Bryce Underwood is dealing with right now.

Akin to Trevor Lawrence, Bryce Underwood is coming out of high school as THAT guy. The No. 1 recruit in his entire class, he’s got the requisite talent to play as a true freshman. Sherrone Moore and Michigan could do with his services as well after a dismal ‘24 season. So naturally, Underwood’s been bulking up through the offseason in case his number gets called in the fall. Underwood came into Ann Arbor at 6 ‘4, 208lb. He was allegedly up to 220lb back in March. 

In a vacuum, Coach Moore and fans want their freshmen to add weight pronto. Become ready to deal with the pain that’s going to be inflicted upon you in the B1G. But adding pounds obviously means you, at least initially, go from chiseled to slightly chunky. Underwood got trolled for looking out of shape after footage from spring camp hit the airwaves earlier in the week. Now, he’s setting the record straight. Barstool Sports did an entire article on Bryce Underwood after a picture of him looking unfit went viral. “Bryce Underwood Looks Like He’s Been Eating Good Since Michigan Paid Him $12 Million To Commit There” read the headline. With the article and just general discourse around Underwood gaining traction, his camp has kicked into action. Not as damage control, but to actually kill the narrative entirely. Dispel any worries whatsoever.

“Valor Strength and Performance” is a state-of-the-art training center in Ann Arbor affiliated with UMich. Their IG handle posted a picture of Underwood, shirt off and abs out. Not looking like he did in those earlier videos and pictures whatsoever. “Stop with the defamation,” read the text alongside. Aside from this, some direct shots were fired as well. The IG story tagged the official Barstool Sports handle, alongside retired NFL vets Will Compton and Taylor Lewan. The pair are co-hosts on Barstool’s “Bussin’ with the Boys” podcast. When that article was initially posted, Compton actually reposted it on X. Not necessarily to throw shade at Underwood, but it did increase its footprint. Lewan, on the other hand, is a Michigan alum. He actually took a stand against the disrespect that was being directed Underwood’s way.

“A lotta people got something to say about 19s tummy. If you saw what I saw at practice the other day, you’d be terrified to see this man lining up against your team. Go Blue,” he wrote on X. Valor tagging these accounts in particular stems from them giving the situation prominence. Compton and Lewan were present at the practice from which the pictures of Undwerwood looking unfit were spawned. Their social media posts from the day actually instigated the issue in the first place. Underwood reposted this Valor IG story on his own handle, too, accompanied by a bunch of laughing emojis.

Look, there’s a chance the timelines don’t match. Chance that the IG post has an older picture. Comparing the two, it doesn’t quite add up. However, Bryce Underwood, his people, and his trainers being forced to address this isn’t ideal. It epitomizes the pressure he’s under. His own fans are concerned, and other fan bases want to knock him down. It’s worth noting that the Barstool article was written by an Ohio State fan, but that’s a professional doing their job. With the season still over 4 months away, players being out of shape shouldn’t be an indictment. But it especially shouldn’t be for a teenager juggling physical changes with a need to add weight anyway. If that picture Underwood put out in retaliation is indeed indicative of where he is right now, Sherrone Moore and Michigan fans have nothing to worry about. 

Bryce Underwood’s got more pressing matters on hand

Apart from this hiccup, Bryce Underwood has had an excellent spring by all accounts. Any video of him from practice where he’s throwing has raised excitement levels through the roof. There’s a growing feeling that he could actually be sitting atop the depth chart come fall. That said, Sherrone Moore has remained tight-lipped.

“Right now, I think it’s open still,” he said regarding the QB battle. “I’m excited to see what happens in the spring game and excited to see how it rolls into the summer and fall camps.” Bryce Underwood’s contemporaries in this battle are Mikey Keene and Jadyn Davis. Keene, who came in via the transfer portal earlier in the off-season, was widely expected to be a stop-gap QB in 2025 as Underwood learns the ropes. However, Keene has missed most of spring practice due to injury. This, in tandem with Underwood being really impressive, has tipped the scales in the freshman’s favor. Jadyn Davis does remain a wildcard, but is a bit more on the periphery.

Michigan’s annual Maize and Blue scrimmage is scheduled for today, i.e, April 19th. Not only will this mark Underwood’s unofficial debut, it’ll be a litmus test of how prepared he is. Both physically and skill-wise. This spring game will go a long way in answering which quarterback will be the starter come fall. There’s a lot riding on this one. Bryce Underwood will seek to silence the trolls and critics by showing out.