At his introductory press conference, Michigan Football coach Kyle Whittingham discussed his first conversation with QB Bryce Underwood and explained why he believes the offense coming to Ann Arbor will be a perfect fit for him:
Kyle Whittingham didn’t overcomplicate things when he spoke about quarterback Bryce Underwood at his introductory press conference on Sunday, but he was clear about how important their first meeting was.
The new Michigan head coach said he spent about 45 minutes with Underwood on Sunday morning prior to the press conference, and he explained exactly how that conversation went.
“I did a lot of listening,” Whittingham said. “I wanted to get feedback from him. I wanted to get to know him — everything from growing up, family, what’s important to him. It was a great conversation.”
Whittingham said the meeting wasn’t about stepping in and taking control, especially with the team still preparing for the Citrus Bowl. Instead, he stressed that his role right now is to stay in the background and let the current staff finish the season.
But as it pertains to Underwood himself, Whittingham didn’t hesitate to praise both the player and the person. He repeatedly referred to the freshman quarterback as “special” and pointed to the traits he believes matter most at the position.
“He’s a special young man,” Whittingham said. “A quarterback’s got to have an ‘it’ factor, and Bryce has that ‘it’ factor. Along with a ton of talent — big, strong kid, 6-foot-4, 225-plus pounds. His ceiling is very high.”
Whittingham also tied that belief directly to Michigan’s future offensive plans, saying the system being brought in will match Underwood’s skillset perfectly.
“The offense we’re going to bring in here is going to suit him to a T,” Whittingham said. “I think he’s going to really, really excel and have a great experience here.”
While an offensive coordinator has yet to be named for the Wolverines, Whittingham did explain how the base offensive package will be 11 personnel — one running back, one tight end and three wide receivers — and that Michigan fans can expect to see a spread formation. Our own Trevor Woods will have a story in the near future regarding what exactly to expect, but there’s no question Underwood would benefit in this offense.
Whittingham made it clear that the pair’s initial conversation was about building a relationship first, not making promises or pushing an agenda. In a time when quarterback situations can change quickly after a coaching transition, Whittingham’s comments reflected a steady, direct approach.
Category: General Sports
