Kyle Whittingham will begin his first complete season at Michigan on Sept. 5 with a game against Western Michigan. An early win for the staff was keeping former five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood in the fold, but the Wolverines were hit with a huge blow in their quarterback room this week.
Insider Reveals Potential Reason Behind Kyle Whittingham’s Blow in Michigan QB Room
Four-star Michigan quarterback commit Peter Bourque backed off his pledge to the Wolverines on Tuesday. He had originally chosen Michigan over Penn State, Georgia, and North Carolina in August while Sherrone Moore was still leading the program.
Bourque told Rivals he stepped away to ensure he was making the right long-term choice, though ESPN’s Eli Lederman pointed to another possible factor
“Though Bourque remained the program’s top-ranked 2027 pledge until Tuesday, his departure from the program’s 2027 class arrives as the Wolverines have upped their efforts with other 2027 quarterbacks over the past month, including Illinois commit and former Utah target Kamden Lopati,” Lederman wrote.
Bourque’s decision also came on the same day Michigan moved on from general manager Sean Magee, who had been crucial in keeping much of the roster intact after Moore’s firing. It remains uncertain whether that front-office change influenced Bourque’s decision to reopen his recruitment.
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Underwood, who finished last season with a 78.0 in the PFSN College Football QB Impact Metric, will lead Michigan in the upcoming season, with 2026 signee Brady Smigiel also developing behind him. Bourque had been viewed as a key pillar in Michigan’s future quarterback plans, so his departure creates a significant gap in the program’s long-term outlook at the position.
The Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year is rated the No. 6 quarterback in the 2027 class and No. 86 player overall in the nation, according to 247 Sports Composite. He capped an unbeaten junior campaign with 2,241 passing yards and 33 total touchdowns last fall.
Penn State, Virginia Tech, and Washington have shown interest in Bourque, and reports suggest Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina could also enter the mix. Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin previously recruited Bourque during his time at Penn State, when the Nittany Lions offered him in 2024.
Bourque visited Penn State in January 2025 for Junior Day, and Matt Campbell’s staff can now attempt to renew his interest as the program searches for its first 2027 commitment since Franklin’s firing.
As for Michigan, Bourque had been the lone quarterback in its 2027 class. With his decommitment, the Wolverines are down to three verbal pledges: EDGE Recarder Kitchen and offensive linemen Tristan Dare and Louis Esposito.
