Michigan Football 2026: Rebuilding, Rebranding, How to Be What You are: an Elite Program.

[buddha]

On 3/14/2026 at 11:26 PM, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Come to the Michigan Democratic Party's convention in April and vote for Amir Makled at the convention. He's running to make a real change at the university and not just be another feckless Regent. He's running to take on Jordan Acker.

https://amirmakled.com/

And WHY are the pulling endorsements?  Because he's a big fan of organizations whose entire goal is to kill Jews.

I'll take "feckless" Jordan Acker.  thanks.

[Deleterious]

He will be back coaching by the 2027 season.  

 

[romad1]

Watched spring game…Tommy Carr looks elusive .  D looks crazy

[RedTeamGo!]

Underwood looked awful

[GalagaGuy]

Is Tommy Carr about to steal the starting QB job?  

[buddha]

not yet.

[gehringer_2]

3 hours ago, RedTeamGo! said:

Underwood looked awful

It's not the final word by any means, but I don't know if I've seen such a highly touted major college QB improve so little over the course of playing his 1st season.

[romad1]

2 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

It's not the final word by any means, but I don't know if I've seen such a highly touted major college QB improve so little over the course of playing his 1st season.

This is going to be an interesting post to revisit.

[gehringer_2]

5 minutes ago, romad1 said:

This is going to be an interesting post to revisit.

no question he has fabulous physical tools.

[romad1]

3 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

no question he has fabulous physical tools.

So did Joe Milton and so did JJ Mc carthey.  The gap between those two was surrounding cast (including coaches) and psychology 

[buddha]

5 minutes ago, romad1 said:

So did Joe Milton and so did JJ Mc carthey.  The gap between those two was surrounding cast (including coaches) and psychology 

JJ was a great teammate too.  not sure about milton.

To your point, Underwood didnt seem to get much coaching last year.  Let's see how he responds to actual coaching this year.  

so far, not good.

[romad1]

28 minutes ago, buddha said:

JJ was a great teammate too.  not sure about milton.

To your point, Underwood didnt seem to get much coaching last year.  Let's see how he responds to actual coaching this year.  

so far, not good.

Way too early to judge anything.

[Stanley70]

His footwork is not there, too many flat footed throws. He has the arm strength to get the ball there but the accuracy suffers. 

Getting him right will be the difference between a team that can make the playoffs and one that loses 4 games in the big ten.

 

[gehringer_2]

35 minutes ago, Stanley70 said:

His footwork is not there, too many flat footed throws. He has the arm strength to get the ball there but the accuracy suffers. 

Getting him right will be the difference between a team that can make the playoffs and one that loses 4 games in the big ten.

 

he also has lacked any sense of touch so far. Maybe better receivers solves part of that, but on too many throws he made it harder on his receivers that it had to be.

[RedTeamGo!]

12 hours ago, romad1 said:

So did Joe Milton and so did JJ Mc carthey.  The gap between those two was surrounding cast (including coaches) and psychology 

And accuracy 

[romad1]

42 minutes ago, RedTeamGo! said:

And accuracy 

His comp is JJ as a Frosh.  JJ was not quite ready to be QB for that 2021 team until Georgia showed that Cade was definitely not enough.  

 

[RedTeamGo!]

I don't see him comparable to JJ. 

I think JJ was a bit overrated because of the team around him, honestly, but he was certainly a good leader and clutch. He stepped up when he had to deliver a key pass and did so accurately and on time. Underwood has not really shown ability to do that. I think Underwood might have been overhyped coming out of high school because he was just such an athletic freak/physical specimen. Was able to dominate a bunch of HS kids that are now either going to random colleges in Michigan as normies or working at Chipotle in the greater Detroit area. Now he is going up against other athletic freaks. He needs to throw passes into tight windows. 

His mechanics are awful. Simply awful. Can he figure it out? Sure, of course he can. He hasn't shown it yet, though. I guess he dominated New Mexico and Central.

I tried to tell Michigan fans similar stuff about Jaydn Davis, but everyone said I was just being a Buckeye homer. 

Now, Davis doesn't have the physical tools of Underwood, so it is not exactly the same. Underwood can certainly turn it around. But he needs to start showing out in September, and realistically, when he enters big ten play. 

I could see Underwood being a bit of a Terelle Pryor, who also had bad mechanics, but Pryor was a better running, at least from what I have seen. 

Just me trying to be a fortune teller - I think Underwood will be QB1 all of this year and Michigan decides to move on after the season. Unsure if QB1 going into 2027 will be Carr or someone from outside the program, but have a feeling Underwood will go down south for what he will see as his last college season and Michigan will want a more accurate passer. When you have such an elite running back and OL, you don't need someone making highlight reel plays at QB. Honestly, if Michigan had someone like Julian Sayin with that RB room I think they would be one of the favorites for the natty this year. Hiter is going to be special and Marshall is real good. 

[buddha]

underwood's comp is cam newton or vince young.  He's massive, he can run like a deer, has a cannon for an arm...

and **** mechanics that impacts his accuracy.

i'm not saying he's going to final get it like young or newton, but that's his comp.

[buddha]

2 minutes ago, RedTeamGo! said:

I don't see him comparable to JJ. 

I think JJ was a bit overrated because of the team around him, honestly, but he was certainly a good leader and clutch. He stepped up when he had to deliver a key pass and did so accurately and on time. Underwood has not really shown ability to do that. I think Underwood might have been overhyped coming out of high school because he was just such an athletic freak/physical specimen. Was able to dominate a bunch of HS kids that are now either going to random colleges in Michigan as normies or working at Chipotle in the greater Detroit area. Now he is going up against other athletic freaks. He needs to throw passes into tight windows. 

His mechanics are awful. Simply awful. Can he figure it out? Sure, of course he can. He hasn't shown it yet, though. I guess he dominated New Mexico and Central.

I tried to tell Michigan fans similar stuff about Jaydn Davis, but everyone said I was just being a Buckeye homer. 

Now, Davis doesn't have the physical tools of Underwood, so it is not exactly the same. Underwood can certainly turn it around. But he needs to start showing out in September, and realistically, when he enters big ten play. 

I could see Underwood being a bit of a Terelle Pryor, who also had bad mechanics, but Pryor was a better running, at least from what I have seen. 

Just me trying to be a fortune teller - I think Underwood will be QB1 all of this year and Michigan decides to move on after the season. Unsure if QB1 going into 2027 will be Carr or someone from outside the program, but have a feeling Underwood will go down south for what he will see as his last college season and Michigan will want a more accurate passer. When you have such an elite running back and OL, you don't need someone making highlight reel plays at QB. Honestly, if Michigan had someone like Julian Sayin with that RB room I think they would be one of the favorites for the natty this year. Hiter is going to be special and Marshall is real good. 

theyre bringing a lot of urban's old offense back.  a lot more qb runs.  that will take advantage of underwood's size and athleticism more.

carr is athletic, but he has a pop gun arm.  not sure he's a long term solution but it would depend on the offense they run.

and if underwood did leave, they'll have LOTS OF MONEY left over to go get another qb.

[Stanley70]

1 hour ago, gehringer_2 said:

he also has lacked any sense of touch so far. Maybe better receivers solves part of that, but on too many throws he made it harder on his receivers that it had to be.

True. Touch may be a result of being rushed, or not having any offspeed pitch control.

Mgoblog posts what the coaches saying about how players are coming along, and then translates that into what that probably means. If we start hearing about how well Carr and the transfer they have coming in are looking, that probably means that Underwood is not progressing. 

[RedTeamGo!]

4 minutes ago, buddha said:

theyre bringing a lot of urban's old offense back.  a lot more qb runs.  that will take advantage of underwood's size and athleticism more.

carr is athletic, but he has a pop gun arm.  not sure he's a long term solution but it would depend on the offense they run.

and if underwood did leave, they'll have LOTS OF MONEY left over to go get another qb.

Yeah, Whittingham definitely likes a running QB. Michigan is going to be fascinating to watch this year. Really tough schedule, but they have the tools to be really good. 

With that said, OSU has a really tough schedule as well. I am not sold they are a top 5 team at this point. Lots of new faces on both O and D, especially D. Sayin is very accurate but I am not convinced he can take over a game against a quality opponent by himself when he needs to. But, last year was his first year as QB1, and he did alright, so I am being nit picky probably.