News Article
Published
Oct 23, 2026 at 07:19 PM EDT
Things haven’t gotten much better for the Michigan Wolverines under head coach Kyle Whittingham.
Though the Sherrone Moore era is a thing of the past, Whittingham has struggled to put his stamp on one of the most storied college football programs in the country.
Michigan has struggled this season, posting a 4-2 record through six games, though many believe they should be 3-3 after getting bailed out by poor officiating in its season-opening win over Western Michigan.
But perhaps the biggest red flag for the team (there are many to choose from) is the fact that former five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, whom the team dished out $12.5 million in NIL funds to lure to Ann Arbor, has regressed this season.
Not only that, but he’s been benched — and the rumblings have already started that Underwood is looking for an exit plan to cut ties with the Wolverines and go somewhere else he’ll have a chance to grow.
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Michigan isn’t just sitting back and waiting for Underwood to hit the transfer portal either.
In fact, the Wolverines are being proactive and preparing for life without Underwood. The team is hosting five-star class of 2028 IMG Academy quarterback Jayden Wade this weekend.
Wade, the No. 7 overall recruit in the country according to the 247Sports composite rankings, is a Georgia commit, but Michigan is working feverishly to flip him. However, Wade’s advisor Mike Evans made the visit seem more exploratory than a sign he’s wavering in his commitment.
“Just seeing what’s going on,” Evans told Rivals. “They’re interested. Georgia has a bye week. It’s not like we can go there.
“The coaches there were at Utah and they offered him when he was younger. That sticks out a lot. Really didn’t keep a lot of contact with them but the gesture of that and recruiting him young opened the door for conversation. Michigan has a good program. The last quarterback was an IMG guy. It’s worth going to go see.”
Wade remains a firm Georgia commit. However, as college football fans have seen before, things can change quickly. After all, Underwood was a firm LSU commit before Michigan swooped in at the 11th hour with an outrageous NIL offer too big to turn down.
“A lot of teams are starting to reach out and get a little more aggressive,” Evans added. “We are locked in with Georgia unless something traumatic (happens).”