Quarterback Bryce Underwood has taken a lot of criticism over the past few months. Critics questioned his arm, his consistency, and whether the Michigan Wolverines made a mistake building around him. Head coach Kyle Whittingham went on the Big Ten Network on June 15 and addressed all of it directly.

Back in November last year, analyst Joel Klatt pointed out Underwood's arm angle being "way too low." Months later, Whittingham appeared on B1G Today and did not leave any room for doubt. He called Underwood's physical tools incredible and made clear the entire offense is being built around what he does best.

"His physical profile and his skill set are incredible," Whittingham said during the interview on June 15. "We will play to Bryce's skill set. There's no doubt about it. He's a dual threat, without a doubt. We'll have an offense that is geared toward what he does best."

Underwood finished his freshman year in 2025 with 2,428 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He also ran the ball 88 times for 392 yards and six scores. The arm talent was never the real issue. The system around him was.

Whittingham said that changes under the new offensive coordinator, Jason Beck, who joined him from the Utah Utes. Beck's approach is simple: figure out what a player does well and build around it.

"Coach Beck, our offensive coordinator, is a master at putting players in position to succeed," Whittingham told B1G Today. "Put players in a position where they can succeed and then help them accomplish that."

Beck ran a New Mexico offense that finished inside the top 5 nationally in rushing in 2024. Underwood's legs were never fully used under the previous Michigan staff. That is about to change, too.

Underwood was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class. He never had dedicated quarterback coaching in his first year. Beck and quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer Jr are working with him daily now.

Besides his take on Underwood, Whittingham also shared his insights on the Wolverines' defense.

What Whittingham said about Michigan’s defensive identity

Whittingham also addressed what kind of defense he is building in Ann Arbor. The answer was exactly what one would expect from a coach who built one of the better defensive programs in the Pac-12 at Utah. The Utes have ranked in the top half of their conference in total defense in nine of the last 10 seasons.

"Physical is the operative word," Whittingham said. "If you can't defend the run, everything else is really hard. Shut down the run on first and second down and get after the quarterback on third down. That's pretty much what it boils down to."

Michigan's defensive front four impressed during the spring game. Under defensive coordinator Jay Hill, who spent the last three seasons building a fierce defense at rival BYU Cougars, the Wolverines are set up to be one of the more physical defenses in the Big Ten in 2026.

Do you think Bryce Underwood will silence his critics with a big 2026 season? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar