Michigan freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood expressed his enthusiasm upon learning that Kyle Whittingham has been appointed as the program”s new head coach. Whittingham, who is 66 years old and has a long tenure as the head coach of Utah, was officially hired on Friday, becoming Michigan”s 22nd head coach. He takes over following the dismissal of Sherrone Moore on December 10 due to an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.
The Wolverines arrived in Orlando on Friday as they prepare to face Texas in the Citrus Bowl on Wednesday. Whittingham informed his Utah players on Friday that he will not coach them in the Las Vegas Bowl, which also occurs on Wednesday, instead opting to join the Wolverines. A formal introduction for Whittingham will take place during a news conference in Orlando on Sunday.
“I was actually pretty excited,” Underwood remarked on Saturday before practice when discussing his reaction to Whittingham”s hiring. “Just really excited to see what he does for the University of Michigan.”
One of Whittingham”s immediate priorities, in addition to assembling his coaching staff, will be to ensure the return of Underwood, a highly ranked recruit in the 2025 class, and receiver Andrew Marsh, as he seeks to bolster the roster. While Underwood indicated he is eager to meet Whittingham and pose questions, he refrained from confirming whether he will definitely play in Ann Arbor next season.
In a related effort, Champions Circle, an organization dedicated to raising funds for Michigan athletes” name, image, and likeness (NIL) initiatives, launched a digital campaign featuring prominent images of Whittingham and Underwood, alongside running back Jordan Marshall.
When asked if he has contemplated his future and whether it includes playing for Michigan in 2026, Underwood said, “Right now, we”re about to play this bowl game, so that”s really the main thought that”s in my head right now.” He added that he would “figure that out” after the game, noting that his family will play a significant role in his decision-making process. “And we”ll go from there,” Underwood stated.
How well Underwood connects with Whittingham, as well as who he selects as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, will likely influence his decision. “I”m very excited to figure out what kind of guy he is,” Underwood said regarding Whittingham. “I don”t really know too much about him. Just excited to figure out what kind of guy he is.”
Underwood mentioned he began to review Whittingham”s coaching resume earlier and looks forward to asking him various questions once they meet. “I saw his resume a little earlier today, actually,” Underwood said. “So I”m just excited to ask him a few questions once I get to that point.”
