Sports

Bryce Underwood Continues To Display Leadership Amid Transfer Rumors After Benching

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USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Bryce Underwood celebrates with Tommy Carr on the sidelines.


Michigan benched starting quarterback Bryce Underwood in a win over Penn State on Saturday. He continued to display leadership from the sidelines.

He was the first one on the field to celebrate with replacement Tommy Carr after he scored his first career rushing touchdown.

He will not be a bad teammate.

Michigan benched Bryce Underwood.

The second-year signal caller has struggled mightily in his first season with a new coaching staff. He’s completing 58% of his passes. He has more picks than touchdowns.

Through six games, Underwood leads the Big Ten in interceptions thrown. Michigan saw enough in a matchup with Penn State.

Underwood was 5-for-11 with 43 yards in the first half. The Wolverines did not score in the first two quarters. As a result, he was benched at halftime.

Tommy Carr came in and immediately provided a spark. He led the offense on three touchdown drives in a 21-18 victory. He will likely be QB1 moving forward.

In the fourth quarter, Carr found the endzone for a 12-yard score. It would prove to be the difference in the game. Bryce Underwood was the first person to greet him.

That fact didn’t go unnoticed by college football fans. He showed leadership in the midst of adversity. You cannot dispute his standing as a good teammate.

On Sunday, he continued to highlight Carr’s touchdown run with a repost on his Instagram story. He has been his replacement’s biggest supporter.

With that said, there are questions surrounding his future in Ann Arbor. Is he destined for the transfer portal?

Benching fuels transfer rumors.

Many believe the quarterback will transfer at season’s end. Those rumors have not been confirmed. The portal is closed. Underwood cannot go anywhere at this point in time.

With that said, it seems unlikely that the former No. 1 overall prospect will sit on the bench as a junior. Should Tommy Carr win and keep the starting job, a transfer doesn’t seem farfetched.

But while fans speculate on the passer’s next stop, Underwood continues to demonstrate leadership. He is not packing it in, as we’ve seen others do in the past.

In Colorado, starter Julian Lewis refused to play after being benched by Deion Sanders. Underwood offered a stark contrast.

Michigan’s first season under Kyle Whittingham has been a disaster. It started with a narrow win over Western Michigan. That was followed by losses to Iowa and Minnesota.

Players have turned against the new staff for its inability to utilize Underwood’s talent. Some have placed the blame directly on scheme and play calling.

Whittingham, meanwhile, insists coaching is not the issue. It’s execution. Bryce Underwood has not been able to operate the offense successfully. Tommy Carr has in his limited action.

Underwood may or may not be in Ann Arbor next season. He could very well return to the lineup in 2026. If he doesn’t, he could leave.

Regardless of what the future holds, the quarterback refuses to be a bad teammate. He will be Michigan’s biggest cheerleader if he remains on the bench.