Bryce Underwood is raising expectations at Michigan in year two

There has been a strange tendency this offseason to talk about Bryce Underwood as if Michigan needed to completely rebuild him.

That was never the reality.

Underwood had things to fix after his freshman season. Michigan’s new coaching staff has never hidden from that. Kyle Whittingham, Jason Beck and Koy Detmer Jr. have been candid about the need to improve his footwork, consistency, decision-making and command of the offense.

But there is a big difference between acknowledging areas for growth and acting like Underwood suddenly forgot how to play quarterback.

He was the No. 1 recruit in the country for a reason.

Underwood was an 18-year-old starting quarterback last season, playing behind an offensive line still finding itself, with a limited group of proven weapons around him and a coaching situation that eventually fell apart in chaotic fashion. He still flashed the arm talent, athleticism, and playmaking ability that made him one of the most coveted quarterback prospects in recent memory.

Now the surroundings are different.

Michigan has upgraded the wide receiver room. The offensive line appears to be in a much healthier place with so much returning talent. Beck has built an offense around what Underwood does well, and Detmer has spent months working with him on the details that needed improvement.

Whittingham’s comments Monday were another step in a progression we have heard about for months.

“We feel he’s markedly better through fall camp than he was at any point in the spring,” Whittingham said, adding that Underwood’s command of the offense, reads and overall operation are “way further ahead” than they were several months ago.

None of that should be particularly shocking.

The funny part is watching some of the conversation around Underwood suddenly change. People who were still taking a negative tone a few weeks ago are now talking about his development like someone flipped a switch during fall camp.

That is not what Michigan’s coaches have described.

They have described gradual progress. Better habits. Better understanding. More comfort. More command.

That is usually how quarterback development works.

Of course, none of it matters if Underwood falls back into old habits when the pocket starts collapsing, and the games count. Michigan has protected him from live contact throughout camp. Whittingham acknowledged on Monday that everyone will learn more when Underwood finally operates in a truly live environment on Saturday.

But asking whether Bryce Underwood can be substantially better as a sophomore should not be viewed as some outrageous leap of faith.

Michigan has improved the offense around him. He has another year of experience. He has a coaching staff that appears well suited to his development.

And most importantly, Underwood was never nearly as bad as the offseason discourse made him sound.

There are plenty of reasons to believe Michigan is about to see a much better version of its quarterback. Buy the hype on Bryce Underwood’s second season at Michigan.