Bryce Underwood flipping commitment to Michigan even caught his high school coach off guard: ‘I was shocked’

Like many of us, Calvin Norman learned of the news when he checked his phone on Thursday. It was official to the world: Bryce Underwood, the nation’s No. 1 recruit, was flipping his commitment from LSU to Michigan.

“I really thought he was going to stay at LSU,” said Norman, Underwood’s coach at Belleville (Mich.) High School. “I was shocked at the flip.”

That flip was the most significant was not only significant for the 2025 recruiting cycle, but it’s also one of the biggest in years. Underwood, considered a generational talent, had been committed to LSU since January. The flip is best simply explained as Michigan is in Underwood’s backyard and the Wolverines desperately need a quarterback at the moment. 

“I think that’s where he always wanted to go,” Norman told CBS Sports. “That’s my school. That’s the school I’ve been loving since Anthony Carter. 

“They told us they wanted Bryce [in the past]. We’ll come to the campus and do 7-o- 7 [in the summer]. But them coming to the school showing that kind of interest, we didn’t see them.”

“They [Michigan] were, like, going more down South to find more players instead of having what they have in their backyard,” Bryce Underwood said in September. 

CBS Sports recently chronicled Underwood’s journey, and we learned that Michigan came in late after the quarterback had been committed to LSU. 

The number circulating regarding Michigan’s NIL deal for Underwood iis $10 million, although that figure has not been confirmed. 

“By them going to Michigan, it’s legit,” Norman said. “I would say legit because the dad is a down-to-earth type of guy. He’s going to make sure you’re a man of your word.”

That dad, Jaquan Underwood, is the Tigers’ running backs coach and did not immediately respond to a call for comment.  

Underwood and his family had made several trips to LSU for unofficial visits during the process. 

“His dad had pretty much put a pit bull mentality into him,” said Donovan Dooley, Underwood’s throwing coach since the kid was 8 years old. “Always gritty, always wanting more. You damn near had to pull him off the field. When I was working with him I realized he was different. He was a unicorn.”

Belleville’s season ended in the state playoffs last week with a two-touchdown loss to Catholic Central. Underwood completed less than half his passes and threw two interceptions. He had previously won two state championships with Belleville. In his career, Underwood threw for more than 5,500 yards and more than 70 touchdowns while completing 70% of his passes.

Michigan is currently 129th nationally in passing offense, last in the Big Ten and fifth-worst in the country. 

Norman also addressed concern that Connor Stalions had shown up at Belleville as offensive coordinator late in the season. 

The former Michigan staffer is still the subject of an NCAA investigation into sign stealing. When CBS Sports caught up to him in September, Stalions had taken over as interim coach at Mumford High School in Detroit after previously serving as the school’s defensive coordinator — despite having no experience coaching at that level. 

Norman said Stalions was recommended by Mumford coach William McMichael this season. McMichael once coached at Belleville and is friends with Norman. 

“The way he ran the offense, I learned a lot …,” Norman said of Stalions. “He was able to show us some things that we didn’t know. He’s real smart, though. Real intelligent guy.”

Stalions did not respond to a request for comment. He remains a person of interest to the NCAA. Recently retired Central Michigan coach Jim McElwain is the subject of an NCAA investigation regarding Stalions’ alleged presence on the Chippewas sideline at last year’s opener.

Norman said Stalions’ hiring was vetted with school administration and the Michigan High School Athletic Association. 

“Connor Stalions wasn’t there to flip Bryce,” Norman said. “We did the proper things before we brought him on. We went to the [state high school association] to make sure we didn’t violate anything.

“Once we did that route, I went to my superior. Everybody was on the same page. We knew some of that attention was going to come. We didn’t do anything wrong by getting him on board.”