Despite landing 2025’s No. 1 overall recruit, Bryce Underwood, the Michigan Wolverines still haven’t named a starting quarterback.
While some believe the job is still up for grabs — as HC Sherone Moore said at Big Ten Media Days — one analyst thinks the competition was settled back in the spring.
Analyst Says Michigan’s QB Battle May Already Be Decided Before Week 1
Underwood is the most gifted quarterback on Michigan’s roster. Ranked No. 1 overall in the 2025 class, he brings a big-time arm and top-tier athleticism to the position.
Still, as fall camp gets underway, head coach Sherrone Moore has insisted the starting job is up for grabs. He’s made it clear the staff doesn’t expect to name a starter until closer to the season opener.
Michigan’s Sherrone Moore on QB1: “Before anyone asks, it’s an open competition. There is no starter. When they ‘have the team’ we’ll know we have our starter”
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 24, 2025
While Moore has kept who the starter is going to be close to the vest, Michigan insider TJ Ronin on the “Michigan at the Voice of College Football” podcast explained that he believes Underwood has had the starting job since spring ball.
“One week into spring ball, it was done. It was over. He’s starting week one, they’re not competing,” Ronin said. He later added, “It’s Bryce Underwood’s season, it’s his time, it’s his era.”
Ronin believes Moore has not named a starter yet because it is essential for Underwood to feel like he is still in a competition.
By keeping the starting spot open, Underwood is pushed to work harder, stay focused, and accelerate his development, giving the Wolverines the best version of him when the season begins.
Ronin is probably right. It would be a big surprise if Underwood is not Michigan’s starter in their opener against New Mexico on August 30. Still, there are other quarterbacks to watch.
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Moore brought in Jake Garcia from East Carolina during the spring transfer portal. During the winter portal window, the team also added Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene. Both Garcia and Keene have more experience than Underwood and could theoretically compete for the starting job.
However, as Ronin points out, 2025 should be Underwood’s season and the start of his era in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines reportedly spent $3 million of NIL money — with the help of Oracle co-founder and billionaire Larry Ellison — to acquire the young quarterback, and they likely wouldn’t have made that investment if they didn’t plan to start him as a true freshman.
So while the competition is technically open, Underwood has probably been the leader in the clubhouse for quite some time. Not naming a starter yet is likely a tactic by Moore and his staff to push Underwood to perform at his best.
