Rival Coaches Rip Michigan QB Bryce Underwood, Paying 'Money Doesn't Make Them Good'

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood drew some critical assessments as he approaches his second season as the starting quarterback.

Underwood generated major headlines before he ever logged a college snap thanks to his $10.5 million NIL deal. Between that and being the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, the expectations spun out of control.

"Just because you pay somebody money doesn't make them good," one opposing coach told ESPN's Adam Rittenberg. "There's going to be a little reality check on that.

Another coach said they're "not impressed" by what Underwood has put on tape so far.

"He just misses and misses," they said. "He's tall, so he's able to make certain plays that other guys can't, and he's big, so he can run. But I don't see him as someone that's dangerous at all. He's a guy who can lose you some games."

Underwood threw for 2,428 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 13 starts. He ran for another 392 yards and six scores.

Fans didn't have a great lasting image for Underwood, either. He went 8-of-18 for 63 yards and an interception in the loss to Ohio State and then had three picks in a Citrus Bowl defeat to Texas.

The numbers speak for themselves. Underwood wasn't up to the standards he needed to reach in order for Michigan to be a College Football Playoff contender.

But that was also putting a ton of pressure on a true freshman, pressure that was ramped up because of his NIL valuation.

"The only reason there's mixed reviews, and that they're not talking about him still being young, is because of the expectations coming out of recruiting," a defensive coordinator in the Big Ten told Rittenberg. "We've really put a bull's-eye on a lot of these kids because of the exorbitant amount that they're paying them."

There are numerous blue-chip recruits from a given class who never live up to their status as a 5-star or high 4-star prospect. Now that some high schoolers are arriving in college with seven- or eight-figure paydays secured, however, even more is expected.

Maybe Underwood simply isn't as good as advertised. Making any firm judgments on the basis of one year would be unfair.