Bryce Underwood's 2025 season drew sharp criticism, including a rough spring game performance that led some Michigan fans to question whether the program had a quarterback problem. A closer look at the numbers suggests the receivers share a significant portion of the blame.
An analysis by CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli ranked Underwood second among qualified college quarterbacks in the rate at which his receivers dropped catchable passes. Only Appalachian State's AJ Swann ranked worse. Had Underwood's receivers held on to those targets, his completion percentage would have been 5.5 points higher, landing at 65.8%, with an adjusted yardage total of roughly 2,549 yards.
The drop problem was visible during the season. Receiver Semaj Morgan drew particular frustration from the Michigan fan base, and Channing Goodwin was benched at one point in favor of Andrew Marsh. Underwood's accuracy drew its own criticism, but the analysis distinguishes between passes that were off-target and passes that were on-target and still not caught.
For context, Ohio State's Julian Sayin had the lowest drop rate among qualified quarterbacks at 1.18%, and national champion Fernando Mendoza was just behind him at 1.19%. Michigan's new coaching staff previously worked with Utah, where the quarterback-receiver combination produced a drop rate of just 1.53%.
That background matters because Underwood's development is partly a coaching question now, not just a talent question. The same staff that kept drops low at Utah will be working with him heading into the 2026 season.
