Sherrone Moore breaks down Michigan QB competition: Mikey Keene status, Bryce Underwood and when he’ll name a starter

Michigan Wolverines footballis two weeks into fall camp, and head coach Sherrone Mooremet with the media Tuesday morning for the first time since practices began. The most significant topic discussed was the quarterback competition, particularly regarding how freshman Bryce Underwood — the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class — is performing and if graduate Mikey Keene, who missed spring practices with injury, is full go.

Overall, Moore has been pleased with what he’s seen from his quarterbacks.

“Quarterbacks have been great, much improved, playing at a really good level,” he noted. “We’ll see where it goes and how far it goes into that, as far as naming a quarterback. I know you guys want to know who the quarterback is. I’ll tell you on game week, before any questions come on that.”

Moore, who added that the team will know the decision before the general public, discussed the criteria Michigan will use to pick a starter.

“Whoever the starting quarterback is, it’s to raise the level of the team,” Moore said. “For [Underwood], for [sophomore] Jadyn Davis, for [graduate] Jake Garcia, Mikey Keene — to make sure that they put themselves in position that they’re the best version of a quarterback they can be for Michigan football.

“And be leaders of the offense. Obviously, we always talk about the offense and team is led by the offensive line, but the quarterback has to be the captain of that room, that offense. Whoever that is, that’s who I want them to be.”

At Big Ten Media Days last month, Moore said that the starting quarterback will have “grabbed” the team. Based on speaking with players, Underwood has been who teammates have been most impressed with, but Moore still wants to see who can continually accomplish having the team behind them as fall camp rolls along.

“Just consistently do it,” Moore said of what else Underwood has to do. “Whoever that person is to continue to grab the team and consistently do it throughout these times, because this is when it gets hard.

“You’re in practice 12, 13, 14, 15 … you can easily take a step back, so are you going to when it’s 91, 95 degrees outside, going to blame or not have as good a day as you had before, or are you going to keep the level of play? So, just want to see that level of consistency.

“The consistency piece is the biggest thing. Don’t turn the ball over, command of the offense and then make plays — and then we’ll have our quarterback.”

Keene — a 5-foot-11, 200-pounder who started 34 games in college with stops at UCF (2021-22) and Fresno State (2023-24) — has been limited in practices, Moore said, but is participating.

“He’s done a good bit,” the Michigan coach said. “He’s participating at his rate that he can, and we’ll see as far as how much he can do and what he’ll do as we go on. But he’s been doing a great job for us, managing everything that he needs to do.

“He’s had over 2,300 snaps in college football, something like that. So, he’s been in every single situation. He’s done it all, seen it all.”

Last season at Fresno State, Keene completed 70.5 percent of his passes for 2,892 yards and 18 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. The Bulldogs opened the season at Michigan Stadium, with Keene throwing for 235 yards and a touchdown against 2 interceptions in a 30-10 loss.

The 6-foot-4, 228-pound Underwood has been lauded for his work ethic all offseason, and that praise continued Tuesday.

“He comes to work every day, lunch pail, ready to go,” Moore said. “Does everything the right way and attacks it the right way, so he’s a pleasure to be around.”

Added Moore, of what stands out about Underwood: “The ability, especially for a young guy, to understand the offense, and obviously his talent.”

Underwood, a Detroit native and Belleville (Mich.) High product who accounted for 179 total touchdowns during his four-year prep career, has made one public appearance in the winged helmet, leading the ‘blue’ team to a 17-0 victory in the April 19 spring game. Underwood completed 12 of his 26 pass attempts for 187 yards and a touchdown.

Underwood and Davis were Michigan’s only two healthy quarterbacks during spring practices.

Davis has played one snap in college, handing the ball off on a touchdown play in the 50-6 victory over Northwestern Nov. 23, 2024.

“Jadyn — his command, his knowledge of the offense, what he does, how he does it,” Moore said of Davis. “A football junkie, a guy who loves the game.”

While Keene’s status was still unclear and with a lack of numbers at the position, the Wolverines added graduate Jake Garcia to the competition this summer. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder has started seven games in college football and is on his fourth school, having also been on the team at Miami (Fla.), Missouri and East Carolina.

“Jake Garcia, he’s seen it, he’s done it and he’s got great arm talent, great ability,” the Michigan coach stated. “He’s been really good for us, really good for the room.”

Garcia began the 2024 campaign as East Carolina’s starter, and he connected on 60.2 percent of his passes for 1,426 yards and 8 touchdowns with 12 interceptions before being benched following the sixth game.