The Michigan Wolverines are 5-5 this season and need a win over the Northwestern Wildcats or Ohio State Buckeyes in order to avoid missing a bowl game for the first time in a full season since 2014.
While there are plenty of reasons why the reigning national champions took a step back this year, from coaching changes to the Big Ten’s expansion to players departing the program, the biggest reason has been the ineffective quarterback play.
This season, the Wolverines have started three different quarterbacks: Davis Warren, Alex Orji, and Jack Tuttle. The three have combined to go 144-for-242 for 1,346 yards, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Regardless of which of the three first-year head coach Sherrone Moore has turned to in a given week, the results have been largely the same.
There is hope on the horizon for Michigan, though. A couple of weeks ago, there were rumblings that they were putting together an NIL deal to try and pry 2025’s top quarterback recruit Bryce Underwood away from the LSU Tigers. Underwood, a Michigan native, committed to LSU in January 2024.
According to a report from The Wolverine, Michigan is set to offer the five-star quarterback $10.5 million over four years.
Michigan is prepared to offer LSU 5-star QB commit Bryce Underwood $10.5M over four years, according to @TheWolverineOn3👀
Intel: https://t.co/sK99XJNx37 pic.twitter.com/1ScTodhqid
— On3 NIL (@On3NIL) November 14, 2024
When the news first came out that Michigan was exploring an NIL package for Underwood, On3 reported it would be in the ballpark of $5 million, so the school reportedly doubling that number shows that Moore and school leadership understands that they need to be serious at the quarterback position. It’s a new world for college athletics, and here we see another example.
[On3]
