Kyle Whittingham Sees More Coming From Bryce Underwood

Michigan got what it needed from Bryce Underwood against Oklahoma. Kyle Whittingham is already thinking about what the Wolverines will eventually need from him.

That distinction is important.

Underwood responded to a miserable opener by helping Michigan knock off No. 11 Oklahoma, 17-10, at Michigan Stadium. He wasn’t asked to win the game by throwing it 35 times. Instead, Michigan leaned heavily into something that probably should have been a bigger part of its offense all along: Underwood’s legs.

The sophomore quarterback ran 18 times for 87 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown, while completing 9 of 17 passes for 111 yards without an interception. Michigan’s official postgame recap confirms Underwood led the Wolverines in rushing as they improved to 2-0.

Whittingham made it clear afterward that the quarterback run game wasn’t Michigan improvising its way through Oklahoma. It was intentional.

“It was part of the plan,” Whittingham said after the game about Underwood being utilized as a runner. “We still understand that we need to get the throw game into higher gear and get more production there.”

There’s the good news and the warning label in the same answer.

Michigan Found a Better Version of Underwood

One week earlier, Whittingham wasn’t interested in handing out participation trophies after Michigan barely escaped Western Michigan.

After Underwood threw an interception, lost a fumble and struggled to generate consistent offense, Whittingham said Michigan had to see progress. He even made it clear that the quarterback’s developmental runway wasn’t unlimited, a message we covered when Whittingham put Underwood on notice following the opener.

Against Oklahoma, Michigan got the progress Whittingham demanded.

“Much better, much better,” Whittingham said. “And he’s got even more. If we can see an upward trajectory with him throughout the year, we’re going to be real tough to beat.”

That’s probably the most interesting part of Whittingham’s evaluation.

He isn’t treating Saturday like Underwood arrived. He’s treating it like evidence that the quarterback can begin moving in the direction Michigan expected when it handed him the offense.

There is a difference.

Underwood’s athleticism can create problems immediately. Oklahoma learned that when he broke loose for the 38-yard touchdown. Defenses have to account for him in the run game now, and that changes numbers, angles and responsibilities before the ball is even snapped.

But Michigan isn’t going to spend an entire Big Ten season winning games with its quarterback throwing for 111 yards.

Whittingham knows it.

“There’s going to be weeks where we’ve got to be able to throw the ball a lot better than we’re throwing it right now,” Whittingham said. “That will be a point of emphasis.”

The Next Step Is Pretty Obvious

Michigan’s offense doesn’t need Underwood to become a different quarterback. It needs to make defenses pay for worrying about the quarterback he already is.

If linebackers start creeping toward the line because Underwood is a legitimate running threat, Michigan needs to hit throws behind them. If safeties begin cheating downhill, that’s when the Wolverines need to create explosives over the top.

Right now, that part of the offense still feels unfinished.

“We’ve got to gradually open up the throw game and be able to be more productive, take more shots down the field, and that’s coming,” Whittingham said.

That is a much healthier problem than the one Michigan had seven days ago.

After the Western Michigan game, Whittingham openly acknowledged how poorly his team had performed even though it escaped with a win, something he made unmistakably clear when he blasted Michigan’s performance after the opener.

Saturday provided a legitimate answer against a legitimate opponent.

Michigan’s defense did most of the heavy lifting, holding Oklahoma to 289 total yards and three conversions on 13 third downs. Jyaire Hill’s fourth-quarter interception set up Jordan Marshall’s go-ahead touchdown, and Underwood avoided the turnover that could have swung the game the other way.

Now comes the harder part.

Underwood showed Michigan can win with his legs playing a major role. Whittingham wants an offense that can make defenses choose which version of Underwood they would rather deal with.

If the passing game begins catching up to the running threat, that choice could become unpleasant pretty quickly.