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    • Getting Bryce Underwood is a game changer for Michigan
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    Getting Bryce Underwood is a game changer for Michigan

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    As Michigan’s rough season unfolded, the subplot never changed. Sherrone Moore needed a boost to program building, and the Wolverines were in desperate need of a quarterback.

    In a move that surprised many, Belleville High School star Bryce Underwood, the nation’s No. 1 recruit, gave UM the moment it needed Thursday by transferring his commitment from LSU to the Wolverines. The impact could be huge for a program adjusting to life without Jim Harbaugh after a national championship, and Underwood is UM’s most touted recruit since the rankings began.

    ▶ More: Belleville QB Bryce Underwood, No. 1 national recruit, is reversing his commitment to Michigan

    It won’t be official until signing day on Dec. 4, but the Wolverines immediately shot into the top 10 of the national recruiting rankings, with more commitments expected to follow. That’s how it works in today’s wild, wide-open college football, where special stars — especially quarterbacks — attract others.

    The Wolverines have struggled to go 5-5 this season as a series of quarterbacks — Alex Orji, Davis Warren, Jack Tuttle — took turns trying to replace JJ McCarthy. If Michigan and Moore weren’t adequately prepared for the difficult transition, they simply made an impressive adjustment.

    Although the announcement came suddenly, the process started a while ago, with UM finally and fully entering the expensive world of NIL (Name, Image and Likeness). Money, of course, was a factor for Underwood, through Michigan’s fundraising Champions Circle. But so does fitness, family and inheritance. Underwood played high school football 30 minutes away from UM’s campus, and as his stature grew, so did his abilities and ambitions.

    The idea of ​​staying at home also grew for several reasons. LSU fell to 6-4 on the season and Brian Kelly was under pressure as he tried to fulfill a huge contract. Kelly struggled to counter his offense, and while Baton Rouge, La., is an attractive place to play, it’s a long way from home.

    Underwood’s video announcing his UM commitment was titled “Hometown Hero” and featured clips of him as a child in UM gear as he declared to the camera, “I’m going to take my talent to the Michigan Wolverines.” With that, the Wolverines earned their most notable off-the-field victory since Harbaugh took over a decade ago.

    As quickly as UM’s profile dropped after winning the national championship just 11 months ago, UM has an opportunity to bounce back. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Underwood has the frame, balance, arm and sliding running style to be a game-changer. Freshmen make mistakes, and no one should forget that. But at least UM has a center, as Harbaugh did with McCarthy.

    Moore, 38, has room to grow as a game management coach, but he has the demeanor and upbeat personality that can appeal to players. Before Underwood’s announcement, UM’s recruiting class ranked 14th, despite the ongoing swirl of controversy from Harbaugh’s departure to NCAA investigations.

    One NCAA case has been resolved and the second, involving staffer Connor Stalion and sign-stealing allegations, is awaiting resolution but may be nearing a conclusion. By the way, Stalions was Belleville’s offensive coordinator during the recent playoffs. Perhaps more important than that connection was the appointment of Sean Magee as UM’s general football manager in March, who brought knowledge and experience.

    Some wondered whether UM would have the guts to get into the big-money recruiting game, and AD Warde Manuel played it safe and measured, taking NCAA oversight into account. Once court rulings lifted many restrictions on direct payments to athletes, UM had no choice but to act. Some high-profile donors, such as Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports, expressed loud support. Others, including billionaire Larry Ellison and Champions Circle Chairman Nate Forbes, were less visible, at least initially, but had a huge impact.

    In a sense, UM had to play catch-up with programs like Ohio State, LSU and everyone in the SEC, and Underwood presented the opportunity and the right time. Some reports suggested he would get $10.5 million over four years, but it’s unclear how that will work.

    I doubt that matters much to Moore and UM fans at this point. Harbaugh often said he wanted UM football to be “transformational, not transactional.” But he definitely saw this coming, which could be another reason he went to the NFL.

    The days of building a championship team, primarily with high school recruits who develop over four years and lead the way as seniors, are largely over. UM’s 2024 national champions might have been the last. Elite quarterbacks lead the way, with most of the playoff contenders this season led by plug-and-play transfers: Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Miami’s Cam Ward, Ohio State’s Will Howard and Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke.

    Underwood will have a learning curve as a true freshman, but should still be impressive. He is a dynamic, dual-threat quarterback who has led Belleville to back-to-back state titles, and he is considered as dangerous as a thrower as a runner.

    How does that fit in with the traditional banging style of UM? Well, that’s where Moore will have to adapt as well, perhaps making changes to his staff to open up the offense and take advantage of a unique talent. A lot has just changed for Michigan, and a lot more will change. Reports already indicate that recruits who have committed to other schools are showing a renewed interest in UM.

    Underwood had been committed to LSU since the beginning of the year, and with UM’s quarterback situation in dire straits, Moore always expressed confidence that things would work out. Slowly and then suddenly it worked, perhaps better than expected.

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    @bobwojnowski

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