It’s a big offseason for Michigan football quarterback Bryce Underwood, who is hoping to take the next step after an underwhelming freshman season in Ann Arbor.
He has a new staff in Ann Arbor, a dedicated quarterback coach on the team and continues to work with both his personal private quarterback coach, Donovan Dooley, and gets outside assistance from QB guru Jordan Palmer.
Yet former NFL All-Pro safety Eric Weddle is not sold on Underwood as the starter after attending a spring practice. Weddle, who played under new Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham in college at Utah, made an appearance on the “Zero 2 Sixty” podcast (covering Colorado football) last week and implied he was concerned with what he saw from Underwood.
“Mark my words, I was out there for spring ball,” Weddle began. “Don’t be surprised if the backup [Tommy Carr is] playing early because that Underwood kid, you know, I don’t think he could throw or play quarterback, so we’ll see.”
Underwood came to Ann Arbor as the nation’s top-ranked player in the class of 2025. At 6 feet 4, 228 pounds with a strong frame, big arm and plus speed, there’s never been a question about his physical tools. He set records at Belleville as a four-year starter in high school.
But quarterbacking at the Big Ten level is much more about processing, decision-making and accuracy. As a result, Underwood had an up-and-down 13 games in 2025, throwing for 2,428 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 60.3% of his passes.
Whittingham spoke highly of Underwood in spring camp, saying he’s the clear No. 1 for this team, while adding he felt Underwood had progressed through spring ball.
But Underwood didn’t appear to be at a new level in the spring game, when he completed just 3 of 9 passes for 22 yards with bad habits resurfacing.
“I don’t understand, like, it’s just quarterbacks in general, but I don’t understand how the position is not being taught like from the pocket,” said Weddle, an elected 2026 College Football Hall of Famer and 14-year NFL veteran who spent time with the Chargers, Ravens and Rams. “Like I try to coach [my son] Gaige that you are a quarterback first who can be an athlete.
“You’re not an athlete who plays quarterback. … You get to the next level, everyone’s as fast as you, everyone’s as strong as you, like your mind, processing, pocket awareness, feel and getting the ball out on time is what I’ve stressed to him most as a quarterback.”
Weddle’s son, Gaige, is rated a four-star running back from San Diego and the No. 95 overall prospect in the class of 2028, according to 247 Sports’ composite rankings. He is being recruited by the Wolverines.
Carr, from nearby Saline, flipped his commitment from Miami (Ohio) to Michigan in November when Sherrone Moore was still the Wolverines coach.
Carr is the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr and the brother of CJ Carr, who will be a junior quarterback at Notre Dame and is a projected 2027 first-round NFL draft pick.
Also on the roster at QB: sophomore Chase Herbstreit and freshman Brady Smigiel.
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ex-NFL star who played for Kyle Whittingham thinks Bryce Underwood stinks
Reporting by Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
