In the weeks of practice leading up to the Michigan football team’s Spring Game, players and coaches alike praised what they had seen from the offense.
The Wolverines brought in offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey to reinvigorate the passing game, and transfer graduate Donaven McCulley to lead the receiver room. Bryce Underwood and Jadyn Davis were equally lauded by their teammates for their spectacular ball placement, elusive speed and competitive edge, among other things. The expectation, particularly given last year’s difficulties throwing the ball, was a dynamic offense with a willingness to sling the rock.
Throughout the spring, the message remained consistent. On Saturday, the offense — and especially the play from both of Michigan’s only active quarterbacks — was anything but.
Underwood, who went 12-for-26 with 187 yards, one interception and one touchdown, played up-and-down throughout. The freshman quarterback’s performance had as many reminders of why he was ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the country as it did indications of his youth and inexperience as a 17-year-old playing in his first game at the Big House.
In his first play, Underwood stepped back and saw his receivers draped in coverage, holding the ball for long enough to get sacked. One drive later, he recorded a delay of game. And toward the end of the second quarter, he wasn’t on the same page as sophomore wide receiver Channing Goodwin, throwing the football into a pack of several Team Maize defensive backs for his lone pick of the day.
But amid his early inconsistency, Underwood’s arm talent was apparent. On several plays, he stepped back and launched a deep ball, some of which sailed over the head of his intended receiver and others that hit them in the hands but weren’t corralled.
“It was really surprising to me that we missed those,” junior tight end Jalen Hoffman said. “We always hit those, connect on those in practice, so it was just a one off. But come season, we’ll make those happen.”
One play that Underwood and Team Blue did make happen came in the final minute of the game, on a flea-flicker leak concept that notched Underwood’s sole touchdown of the day. The 88-yard trick play to Hoffman was the highlight of Underwood’s performance, capping off an improved second half that saw Underwood went 5-for-11 and passed for 135 yards.
“(Underwood) did well,” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said. “(He) did well, made some really good throws and had some things that we got to clean up and get better at. But he’s a continued work in progress, and he’s working his tail off to do it.”
Davis was under center for Team Maize. The sophomore quarterback, who played only one snap last year, struggled even more than Underwood. Davis went 6-for-17, throwing for 74 yards and two interceptions.
Similarly to Underwood, he showed some flashes of solid decision-making under pressure, but ultimately displayed the rust and inconsistency from a year spent almost entirely on the sidelines.
“Our defense throws a lot of looks, blitzes and stuff like that,” Hoffman said. “It’s hard to pick up, especially coming in young, both those guys being young. Being able to pick that up and know what’s coming, and being able to get the ball out, get to spots all the time, is really what I see them doing all the time, every day.”
While neither of them showed a consistent ability to dismantle a defense, Underwood and Davis weren’t entirely incapable of moving the ball either. Both performances, Moore assured, were satisfactory of competing for the starting job.
“It’s a battle that’s gonna go all the way into fall camp,” Moore said.
That battle, which has been ensuing since spring practices began, could continue all the way up to Michigan’s last practice before its first game.
But converting plays in practice and in a game — even one as simulated as Saturday’s Spring Game — are entirely different. There’s no do-overs in a game, and there’s little pressure in practice. Perhaps from the way they both played on Saturday, Underwood and Davis could’ve used a little bit more of both.
