Kyle Whittingham took over as Michigan’s head coach, and the program’s hope came back alive. His recruitment work has now caught rival coaches’ attention. An anonymous Big Ten coach praised Michigan’s last recruitment class, saying a few standout players will start strong right away. This praise comes as Michigan pushes for another top recruitment finish this year.
“I love that roster,” one anonymous Big Ten coach told Athlon Sports. “The second that Sherrone Moore was gone, they actually got to run that roster. There are four or five players in that freshman class who’ll contribute immediately, and they had a bunch of freshmen last year who contributed.”
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Under Whittingham, Michigan no longer looks like a team waiting for the future. It looks like a team trying to win right now, and Bryce Underwood is the center of that push.
Whittingham joined Michigan after 21 seasons with the Utah Utes, where he became the winningest coach in program history with a 177-88 record. He left the Utes after a disagreement with the management and joined the Wolverines to return them to championship ways. And with his recruitment activity so far, he seems to be on that mission.
Interestingly, Whittingham’s first project when he signed with the Wolverines was toretain quarterback Bryce Underwood. He had a 45-minute conversation with the quarterback that stopped him from entering the transfer portal. Even when he was clearly below his best, Underwood threw for 2,428 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, with a 60.3% pass completion rate. And with Whittingham seeing the potential in him, he was keen on having him as his starting quarterback in 2026.
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Underwood is definitely one of the star freshmen the anonymous coach pointed out. Ahead of the 2026 season, the program has three five-star recruits already, “who will contribute immediately”.
“The 2027 season was the target because they really liked that 2025 class, so the thought was to build it for that third year and focus on retaining those guys while bringing in younger players,” another coach said.
One coach put it plain: with Bryce Underwood at quarterback and new receivers from the transfer portal, Michigan’s offense is finally clicking. “You’re gonna have Bryce, Andrew Marsh, Jaime Ffrench, and JJ Buchanan out of the portal,” the coach said. “There’s a lot of excitement for what that team can be this year.”
What makes it different under Whittingham? The coaching staff isn’t asking Underwood to hide his strengths. They’re building around his size, his arm, and his ability to run when needed. Most importantly, one of the coaches went ahead to predict the Wolverines as Big Ten conference champions. Whittingham understands what is expected of him at Ann Arbor, and the program is the perfect match for a coach who has always had to manage limited resources with the Utes.
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Whittingham compares Underwood to Cam Newton
Whittingham has so much admiration for Underwood. He sees him as a massive weapon that will thrive in his system and will be fully unleashed in 2026. As a result, Whittingham perceives him as another Cam Newton. And if he lives up to it, then the Wolverines have a huge treasure in their hands.
“He kind of reminds me of Cam Newton,” Whittingham said in an interview with J.D. Pickell of On3. “As far as his charisma, his stature. Big dude, 6-4-plus, 240 pounds, live arm, great athlete. Flashes that smile a lot, like Cam did. That’s probably the guy that comes to mind, mostly. The quarterbacks we’ve had haven’t quite had anybody of this skillset.”
The excitement isn’t just from Whittingham. Coaches across the Big Ten are watching closely. They saw what happened when Underwood played as a true freshman, recording 2,428 yards and 11 touchdowns even while learning the system. Now, with Whittingham’s offense designed for a quarterback who can throw AND run, and with better receivers around him, the conference knows what’s coming.
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One coach didn’t hold back: “I think they can win the conference.” Not because of one player, but because Underwood finally has the pieces around him, and the coach who knows how to use him.
Michigan’s progress with Whittingham is evident to those within and outside the program. And if all things go well, Whittingham might have one of the most memorable first seasons as a head coach.
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