Michigan did what everyone couldn’t last season: they beat Ohio State. Amidst all that paranoia and doubt against Sherrone Moore, the man won the ‘game’ and thus marked his arrival as the head coach in the college football world. Obviously, no one had expected Michigan to exceed expectations after Jim Harbaugh abruptly left, and a plethora of allegations ranging from sign stealing to poaching followed. The roster suffered multiple injuries throughout the season, and the quarterback spot was always uncertain as Sherrone Moore cycled through three QBs. But guess what?

Not anymore. The QB recruitment class had several targets this year, ranging from Husan Longstreet to Keelon Russell. However, Brian Kelly at LSU had already sealed a deal with one of the most exciting prospects and a generational QB: Bryce Underwood. That’s where Sherrone Moore came in, and with their NIL collective’s help, flipped Underwood to Michigan. The cost? Just $12 million and maybe a promise of the QB1 spot. But the latter part brewed some problems.

Michigan already had QBs on its roster who became hell-bent on taking up the QB1 spot. Jadyn Davis performed unexpectedly in the spring game on 19th April and even declared, “I’ve never been scared to compete… I’m going to do what is right for me and my family.” Then there was incoming Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene, coming off almost 3,000 yards at a 70.5% completion rate. Things weren’t looking ideal for the $12 million QB Bryce Underwood. Now, it seems another veteran QB is coming into the picture, too.

As per EJ Holland, the host of ‘The Wolverine’ podcast, Brendan Sullivan from the Iowa Hawkeyes will be coming to Michigan during this transfer window. “Brendan Sullivan has popped up as an option. He is a Michigan legacy. He is set to visit Tulane this week. It looks like he wants an opportunity to start right away, which he may not necessarily get at Michigan, obviously, with Bryce Underwood gaining a lot of buzz this spring and Mikey Keem still on the roster“. If he’s not coming to be the QB1, where’s the threat?

Bryce Underwood surely would be the favorite for the QB1 spot in the battle. But the Iowa QB could be a threat, too. At first glance, the QB looks like a serviceable backup since he had 475 yards last season with just three starts. However, if you watch his game tape against Wisconsin, you will know the quality the QB can offer. Sullivan completed 7 of the 10 passes he attempted for 93 yards, scoring a touchdown, and notched up 58 rushing yards.

The player is a lethal red zone specialist, and Sherrone Moore could choose to pick him up, too, if given the option. We can also see a rotational role for the QB since Sullivan’s passing game may not be too refined. The QB has garnered 1,778 passing yards at an impressive average of 69.4%.

Bryce Underwood’s spring game performance brings dark clouds

Well, we may not have seen Bryce Underwood performing in an actual season, but we have seen some glimpses, at least in the spring game. The QB led his Blue team to a 17-0 win and beat the Maize squad. His performance? Well, that’s where things get tricky. The 17-year-old completed 12 of the 26 passes for 187 yards with one touchdown. Gave up one interception and two sacks, too. The criticisms started coming in for the young QB.

J.D. PicKell, the ON3 analyst, rightly said to give the young QB some time and advised patience on the supporters’ part. “You don’t need the first date to know there’s going to be a second date. The first date’s kind of a formality. That’s kind of a Spring game to me… But I really believe he’s gonna start for you. Unless he had just gone out there and thrown out four picks. Unless you go out there and you just totally blow the date”.

So the stance is clear: despite some faltering in the spring game, Bryce Underwood will still be the QB1. Moreover, spring games these days are becoming nothing more than a formality. Teams aren’t serious and showcase some rudimentary plays; players know that coaches have advised them to show restraint. So, the spring game debacle? Well, that is not the headline anyone needs or even deserves. Who takes spring games seriously these days? The coaches aren’t; why should we?