Just two days before the first full Saturday of college football, Ann Arbor will be the site for one of the top storylines of Week 1.
From fans, to local media, to some of the biggest names in the college football market, everyone is anxious to see how freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class, performs in his first chance to lead No. 14 Michigan’s new-look offense.
That includes college football analyst David Pollack, who recently made an appearance on the Daily Wire’s “Crain and Company” podcast to discuss this upcoming weekend’s slate of games.
“I’m really excited to watch Bryce Underwood,” Pollack told podcast host Jake Crain, former Michigan quarterback David Cone, and Blain Crain. “I want to see him at the quarterback spot, because obviously the hype is real. I watched every play of the spring game, every pass, and I can see the size, I can see the athletic ability. I also see there’s a lot of work that needs to be done.”
Pollack pointed out that the Wolverines don’t need Underwood to come in and be a superstar as a true freshman this season. After Michigan featured one of the worst passing offenses in all of college football a season ago, Underwood just has to give opposing defenses something to think about outside of stopping the run.
“Keep in mind guys, (former Boise State running back and Heisman Trophy runner-up) Ashton Jeanty rushed for 1,000 more yards than Michigan threw for a year ago,” Pollack said. “So, the quarterback play, it ain’t like we need elite of elite. Like, we just need competence. It needs to be good, and obviously Underwood has the tools to be great down the road.”
Underwood’s play at quarterback isn’t all that Pollack will be watching when the Wolverines take the field on Saturday, however.
“Interested to watch the receiving core, if they can help him out, because it wasn’t elite by any stretch a year ago,” Pollack said. “But, I think Michigan’s a good team that’s going to be fun to watch, and if that quarterback spot can click — I’ve got no qualms with their defense, man.
“Year in and year out, like, I know there’s a bunch of guys that went to the league, but it’s like dude, it’s plug and play. They’ve earned that right.”
National pundits have been somewhat split on Michigan’s potential to compete for a College Football Playoff spot in 2025, but Pollack thinks the Wolverines are a contender, led by that defense in Year 2 under coordinator Wink Martindale.
“Look at the schedule. What the heck, man? I mean, golly. They won eight games a year ago, and here’s another thing too about Michigan that we’ve got to give a lot of credit to — how about the way they finished? Like, they beat the Buckeyes, they beat the Tide, like, those are their last two games of the season.
“That’s pretty dang good, and their defense were lights out. They didn’t give up 20 points in either one of those games, so, I think that just getting competent quarterback play, good quarterback play and this team goes to another level. And, you got that with J.J. McCarthy and you got a championship.”
No. 14 Michigan will host New Mexico at the Big House on Saturday, Aug. 30 with kickoff scheduled for 7:36 p.m. EST and NBC carrying the broadcast.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: CFB analyst David Pollack excited to see Bryce Underwood, bullish on Michigan’s defense
Reporting by Matthew Lounsberry, Wolverines Wire / Wolverines Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
