Ready or not, college football’s new era has thrust more freshmen quarterbacks into starting roles this season from the moment they stepped onto campus. And the similarities that Maryland’s Malik Washington and Michigan’s Bryce Underwood share go even deeper than that.
Both won multiple state championships — three for Glen Burnie’s Washington at Archbishop Spaulding, two for Detroit-native Underwood at Belleville. Both stayed home, choosing to play their college ball just down the road from where they grew up.
Both were top-three ranked recruits in this year’s class — Underwood No. 1 and Washington No. 3. The two even sport similar dreadlock hairstyles. And both have been given expectations for elevating their respective programs to a new level, even as true freshmen.
Maryland’s final regular-season home game against Michigan on Saturday (4 p.m., BTN) will offer a rare treat: the opportunity to watch them lead their teams against each other in their maiden college seasons.
“This will be a battle of two really young, talented quarterbacks that I think you’ll see for years to come in this league,” said Maryland coach Mike Locksley.
Locksley’s relationship with Washington predates his time at Spaulding and to his middle school days. At roughly the same age, Underwood was turning heads as well.
“It’s funny because, you know, Cam Newton had his quarterback camp here on [Maryland’s] campus a couple summers ago, and Bryce happened to be here,” Locksley said. “I know the guy that trains him really, really well up there in Michigan that does a tremendous job. And so he came down for that camp, and Malik happened to be here for that camp.”
The guy Locksley is referring to is Donovan Dooley, who, along with his Quarterback University training program, saw the promise in Underwood early.
“During [a] conversation,” recalled Michigan reporter Clayton Sayfie of On3’s The Wolverine, “he said, ’Come with me’ … over where younger quarterbacks were working out in the indoor facility. ’Guess which one is going to be the No. 1 player in the country one day?’ It was easy to tell — Underwood was bigger and better than anybody else his age and even older, as an eighth grader.”
Underwood and Washington are both in the top ten among Big Ten quarterbacks in yards and yards per game, but the intangibles are what have been most noticeable as the year has progressed.
“I think the thing that really makes Bryce go is not only the live arm, but his ability to extend plays with his feet as a football player as a quarterback,” Locksley said. “A guy that you know can can hurt you both arms and legs.”
“His physical gifts are off the charts, of course, but he’s as polished as any freshman I’ve seen at U-M or the Big Ten, and mature as all get out,” Sayfie said.”
Polish and maturity are some of the same words used to describe Washington, whom Locksley no longer describes as young, but “inexperienced”. He sees Underwood, who’s thrown for 1,951 yards and seven touchdowns this season, in the same framework.
“He’s learning as he goes as well. And for them to be two games, I think, out of possibly the College Football Playoffs, they’ve got a lot to play for,” Locksley said. “They’re putting a lot on him, like we’ve asked a lot of our freshman quarterback.”
Washington has attempted the most passes in the conference — 373, a byproduct of Maryland’s rushing struggles — while totaling 2,294 yards passing with 13 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Newly comfortable using his feet, he rushed for 164 yards and a touchdown Oct. 8 at Rutgers.
“Just being able to be more efficient, really, like, just keeping in mind completion percentage and things like that,” Washington said about improvements before last week’s game at Illinois. We can keep playing clean football as well. Not turning the ball over be something that will help the team a lot.”
Turnovers have also crept up on Underwood, who’s thrown three of his five interceptions in the last two weeks along with fumbling twice as the Wolverines narrowly beat Purdue and Northwestern.
“It’s hard to tell exactly how he’s developed,” Sayfie said. “The good plays he’s making now against Big Ten teams are greater than what we saw earlier in the season, but he’s also turned the ball over lately. Progression isn’t often linear, so I think he’s getting better, and this season will pay dividends for what he becomes down the road.”
Where the similarities diverge is at each school’s current station. Underwood and No. 18 Michigan (8-2, 6-1 Big Ten) still have ideas of a College Football Playoff berth. Washington has mentioned “playing for each other” and Maryland’s (4-6, 1-6) class of 16 seniors in recent weeks as the Terrapins seek their first win since September.
Regardless of record, each has laid the foundations for what should be successful college — and potentially professional — careers.
“Both those guys are super, uber talented,” Locksley said. “And in this league, [it’s great] to have two young quarterbacks with futures like they both have.”
• George Gerbo can be reached at ggerbo@washingtontimes.com.
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