The Michigan Wolverines’ offense is poised for a fresh start this season after a disastrous 2024, largely thanks to landing quarterback Bryce Underwood, the 2025 class’s No. 1 overall recruit.
Expectations are high for Underwood as he enters the season, with some comparing him to college football legends like Cam Newton and Vince Young. While those comparisons are lofty, analysts explain why they have merit and how he could help them compete in the Big Ten in 2025.
Analysts Weigh In on Bryce Underwood’s Vince Young Comparisons
Bryce Underwood hasn’t played a snap of college football yet, but he’s already being compared to some all-time greats. In January, Rivals’ director of scouting and rankings, Charles Power, compared the young quarterback to Cam Newton.
NEW: Michigan QB signee Bryce Underwood is the first recruit to ever receive a 100 rating from On3📈
“The combination of size, arm talent, and athleticism is reminiscent of players like Josh Allen and Cam Newton.” –@CharlesPower
Story: https://t.co/8Tf8JwCJxs pic.twitter.com/MXqG8VIs8H
— On3 (@On3sports) January 30, 2025
The comparison is lofty, but it didn’t stop there. 247Sports’ Brandon Huffman went on “The Solid Verbal Podcast” and compared the young quarterback to Texas legend Vince Young.
“There’s a lot more of the Vince Young Factor than there is Cam Newton,” Huffman revealed.
Ty Hildenbrandt, host of “The Solid Verbal Podcast,” commented on the comparison, saying Vince Young is a tough standard for Underwood to live up to.
“The comparison that we heard when we had Brandon Huffman on this show was Vince
Young,” Hildenbrandt said. “Which is a pretty high bar to clear.”
While Hildenbrandt understands that the comparison to Young likely refers to Underwood’s physical ability, he believes that if the Wolverines can get even close to Vince Young’s level of play from Underwood, it would be a massive improvement over their quarterback situation in 2024.
“If Vince Young is a comparison, even if it’s just on the physical side of things, you’ll take that, given we’re coming from — Alex Orji and Davis Warren,” Hildenbrant said. “You’ll take a Vince Young prototype.”
Hildenbrant’s cohost, Dan Rubenstein, has Michigan as the fourth-best team in the Big Ten this season, behind Oregon, Ohio State, and Penn State, and believes that despite the Young comparisons for the Wolverines’ freshman quarterback, Underwood won’t have to do much for Michigan to be successful next season.
“I’m not counting on a ton from Bryce Underwood, if he starts the season at quarterback,” Rubenstein said. “I think it’s unfair to do that to true freshmen.”
Rubenstein believes Michigan will have a better running game in 2025 than last year, a stronger offensive coordinator in Chip Lindsey, and a defense that won’t take a significant step back from being one of the conference’s best last season.
The Wolverines won eight games in 2024 after a perfect 15-0 national championship season in 2023. As Rubenstein predicts, they will need to improve to reach fourth place in the conference. Even if Underwood doesn’t reach Vince Young’s level, the team is in a better position to compete, given its offseason improvements.
