"He was kind of upset and mad": Michigan QB Bryce Underwood recalls the time he shut down Cam Newton's team as a 14-year-old

The Michigan Wolverines did not have the season they wanted in 2024 after winning the national championship in 2023. Their head coach, Jim Harbaugh, and starting quarterback, JJ McCarthy, both left for the NFL. As a result, the team did not perform to their normal standard in 2024.

However, the Wolverines had success off the field, successfully luring the No. 1-ranked recruit in the nation, QB Bryce Underwood, away from LSU. Underwood initially committed to LSU but switched to Michigan in November.

On Wednesday, Underwood appeared on "The Rich Eisen Show," where he talked about joining Michigan and his experience meeting former Heisman winner Cam Newton as a 14-year-old.

"It was amazing," Underwood said (starts at 4:00). "The first time I met him, we were playing against him in 707 in Las Vegas, 2022. Honestly, we was playing 18U, I was 14. So I was the QB at the time, we shut them out. It was 36-0.

"They came out all out and stuff and I'm sitting there ok, this is the stuff everybody be nervous about, excited about to play against. I finally get to play against it and 36-0 so."

Eisen asked Underwood if he had a chance to pick Newton's brain about anything after the event.

"I honestly didn't get a chance to talk to him because he was kind of upset and mad," Underwood added. "Then he talked to his team and everything like that. Then a month later he had an event where all the QBs around the country go to Maryland and we all train. That's when I was able to pick his brain and figure out who he is as a person."

Bryce Underwood will compete with transfer Mikey Keene for the starting QB job at Michigan

While Bryce Underwood is the No. 1-ranked recruit in the nation, there is no guarantee that he will be the starter for the Michigan Wolverines in 2025. The Wolverines also brought in veteran QB Mikey Keene in the transfer portal. Keene was previously the starting QB for the Fresno State Bulldogs.

Coach Sherrone Moore will evaluate both QBs in training camp and determine which one will be the starter. If Underwood performs well, he could earn the starting job. However, if the coaching staff thinks he needs more time to develop, they can turn to Keene as the team's starter in 2025.