Bryce Underwood will likely be named the starting quarterback at Michigan for the 2025 college football season as a true freshman. It is a matter of when, not if.
However, head coach Sherrone Moore is not willing to make a formal announcement with more than four months until the season-opener. Former Fresno State signal-caller Mikey Keene recently returned from a knee injury and will battle it out in fall camp.
To add another wrinkle to the mix, there are some concerns about the top-ranked recruit in college football and his conditioning. A recent photo of Bryce Underwood at spring practice shows him with a rather large protruding gut. The haters (especially those in Columbus) have been quick to pounce all over the highly-touted quarterback for putting on the ‘freshman 15,’ as they say. Is he fat?!
Here is the photo in question:
I personally see no cause for concern. Patrick Mahomes has long said that his ‘Dad Bod’ is extremely beneficial when it comes to playing the quarterback position— so long as he is still in shape under the fluff.
Underwood is listed on the spring roster at 6-foot-4, 208 pounds. I think he is actually closer to 6’5″, 215 based on how he made Alex Orji look small during bowl practices back in December.
Taylor Lewan, who posted the initial photo to Instagram earlier this week, came to Underwood’s defense in response to the conversation about his weight. There is no reason for Wolverines fans to panic. (Mind you, he is bias!)
If you saw what I saw at practice the other day, you’d be terrified to see this man lining up against your team.
— @TaylorLewan77
And yet, the jokes did not stop. Did Bryce Underwood spend his entire $12 million NIL check on food?!
Although I cannot say for sure, I would imagine that Michigan immediately put their five-star quarterback on a very strict diet program as soon as he got on campus in addition to his strength and conditioning. They likely put an emphasis on weight because Underwood was relatively skinny upon arrival. So long as the extra cushion does not get in the way of his ability to throw and run, it is probably part of the plan.
Bulking season will presumably continue through the end of July. At that point, the focus will shift toward body maintenance and general wellness as the season gets underway.
The gut photo, while no big deal, is the perfect example of why college football is such a great sport. In no other world would I be writing 450+ words on an ongoing discourse about the stomach of a 17-year-old. That is a hilarious sentence.
Meanwhile, Bryce Underwood is already becoming one of the most likable figures in the sport. He recently used some of his money to give back to his high school security guard just because he can. Gut or not gut, that rules. Let the haters talk. Don’t listen.