If full circle moments exist, Bryce Underwood surely had one. Back in November last year, the QB announced his commitment to the University of Michigan with a touching post in which a young Bryce was asked, “What team would you be playing with this year?” Pausing from biting his thumbnail, he replied with a bright smile, “I’m going to bring my talent to the Michigan Wolverines.”

Now, he didn’t just flip his promise to LSU, he also solved Sherrone Moore’s QB issues. But do you wonder just how the new Hometown hero turned his back to a program he rooted for? Michigan’s consistent boosters – billionaire Larry Ellison and his wife Jolin – made that happen with a $10.5 million push. And with a new season starting, the couple has another fiscal promise to the school.

In a brand-new announcement amidst the spring game elation, James Yoder of the Michigan Football Report passed on, “If you’re Larry Ellison, if you sold 1 percent of your Oracle stock, it’d be about $2 billion, right? That means he could give $50 million to Michigan for the next 40 years. I was told that’s what he’s done. Not necessarily sold the stocking line like that, but Ellison and you know, Jolin, his new wife, have pledged anywhere from $25 to $40 million in perpetuity as long as either one of them is alive…

“So, Michigan should have a nice NIL stockpile going forward. The cash flow should continue but I do think there’s gotta be something Sherrone Moore, the head coach’s gotta understand, if you’re gonna have the war chest of war chest in college football, in college athletics for NIL, ya got to get the wins out of the field. I think Jolin and Larry will be expecting a National Championship in the Byrce Underwood-era that they helped make happen,” Yoder explained how the Oracle founder has helped Michigan get Underwood and what are the possible conditions attached to it.

Throughout Jim Harbaugh’s tenure as Michigan’s head coach, the iconic head coach embraced a “transformational over transactional” approach to NIL. Sherrone Moore, however, kept those ideas and philosophies a priority ever since he took the chair in January 2024, but he doesn’t want to be stuck there. He needs to set the bar high, aligning with the rising money demand in the evolved landscape of college football.

The Oracle founders have been his rock in this pursuit from the start. When they turned heads, contributing a lump sum amount to make that Underwood leap successful, it came out as a one-time investment to some critics, but the men with the resources worth more than $200 billion are a real messiah to Michigan football.

Back in November when Bryce’s commitment came through, Nate Forbes, chairman of the Michigan Champions Circle NIL collective gave a statement where he said, “We are very excited to keep Bryce home in Michigan as he continues to build his legacy. I want to personally thank Jolin and Larry Ellison, who were instrumental in making this happen by providing Champions Circle with invaluable guidance and financial resources.”

Without that NIL deal, keeping Bryce in the state seemed impossible for the Wolverines who were in a heavy NIL battle with the Baton Rouge program. But with this offer, the QB doesn’t just get the money, a chance to play in a blueblood school, but also stay close to his home which is just a 30-minute drive from Ann Arbor.

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But of course, there is another side of the story as well. This deal also means more responsibility on Moore and his team to live up to a mark, which is no less than a championship trophy at this point. Can Michigan again make a splash like it did in 2023, with a room loaded with talents and enough dollar figures? Let’s look out for the answers from the early spring ball observations.

Can Bryce Underwood be the solution Sherrone Moore is looking for?

Michigan’s success will mostly depend on how their projected crown jewel adapts to the games and brings out his best, elevating the team to some big sure-shot wins. The quarterback in the making has already started preparing for his goal, attending the meetings and conferences back-to-back to understand Michigan football better. He just appeared in his first spring practice for the Wolverines last week. Now, the pressing question would be, does he seem ready to start?

Well, maybe yes, maybe not yet, but whatever the case, Underwood won’t just get his treat served on the plate. He’s going to have to dogfight for them. New offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey is seeing a battle for the starting spot. Fresno State transfer QB Mikey Keene is already making the rounds for a potential QB1 spot.

Keene came to Ann Arbor with a decent 2024 record, throwing 2,892 yards with 18 TDs and 11 interceptions. So, Underwood needs to be on his toes to stay relevant to the hype. The QB’s performance and overall contribution during the Spring game will speak a lot about their future at Ann Arbor, given that Moore can name their starter as early as April. But for now, he is giving everyone a chance at every spot, ensuring all the spots are up and ready when the time calls. However, he is impressed with Bryce’s showing so far.

Speaking to the media on Monday at Schembechler Hall, Moore said, “I think just early enrollees in general, it’s a great thing for the game and for those players to be able to come in and… not only just for football, for school, be able to handle school, be able to maneuver in school and know where your classes are, but for him and all the quarterbacks, it’s been good,” Moore said. 

“Adjusting to things and doing things a little bit differently, but he’s done well. He works his tail off. He’s in here late, in here early, and, you know, those guys have really worked hard to compete at that position.”

Michigan is coming off a season full of QB chaos and can’t afford to repeat history. Whether it’s Underwood or Keene, fans are looking to get them on the wheels from the starting week.