Jake Butt didn’t waste any time after watching Michigan’s latest mess on offense.
The former Wolverines tight end, an All-American and the 2016 John Mackey Award winner, said the film from the loss to Minnesota was flat-out ugly. Now a Big Ten analyst, Butt made it clear on Sunday that what he saw was more than a one-game stumble.
“Minnesota film is as disappointing as you’ll find. It’s a hodge podge of poor play calls, poor execution, mental errors, lack of effort, lack of awareness, poor communication and identification, players playing slow.. seemingly from not being aware/ confident of their assignment, then you see pressing. Just saying 'screw it… let me try this'.
"Just really bad football. Defense once again showing their talent and potential.
Kept the game close. But really never had a chance with the play of the offense.
The answer? I have no idea.
Not an easy fix."
That blunt assessment came after Michigan dropped its second straight game, following the heartbreaking loss to Iowa with a lopsided defeat against Minnesota. The defense did enough to keep things from completely unraveling, but the offense never gave the Wolverines a chance.
And that’s the part that has become impossible to ignore. Michigan’s identity under Sherrone Moore was supposed to be built around the run game, even if the offense never fully took off.
With Jason Beck coming in, the expectation was that the ground attack would get sharper, not worse. Beck’s offenses ranked No. 2 in rushing in both 2024 and 2025, and Bryce Underwood was supposed to keep moving forward.
Instead, the numbers have gone the other direction fast. Through five games, Michigan sits at No. 122 nationally in total offense and No. 100 in rushing.
The best day on the ground came against UTEP, when the Wolverines ran for 185 yards. Against Minnesota, they managed only 79.
Kyle Whittingham also knows what good football looks like after 21 seasons as Utah’s head coach, and he didn’t sound interested in excuses after the loss. He said he will examine every option, and that some “tough decisions” could be coming when he sits down with Jason Beck.
The quarterback position is already drawing the most attention, with many wondering whether Michigan will turn to Tommy Carr instead of Bryce Underwood. But the larger issue is bigger than one player. Beck has to shape the scheme around the personnel he has, and until that happens, a simple quarterback switch won’t solve much.
In Other News...
Michigan May Have Just Shown The Only Way To Stop The Slide
The red zone trip that led to Jordan Marshalls touchdown was one of the few clean moments Michigan had in a 20-14 loss to Minnesota, and it stood out because it looked like the kind of sequence the offense has been searching for all season. After a series of successful plays, the Wolverines finished the possession with the kind of execution that has too often been missing when drives get tight and the field shrinks.
For a team still trying to stop the slide, that single trip offered a small but useful reminder of what works. Michigan did not get many chances near the goal line, but when it finally did, the drive suggested there is at least a blueprint there, even if the larger picture around it remains discouraging. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Offense Has Become A Bigger Problem Than Fans Feared
Michigans latest setback in Minneapolis was about more than just another loss. The 20-14 defeat to Minnesota dropped the Wolverines to 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the Big Ten, and it came with the kind of offensive frustration that can linger long after the final whistle. The ground game never really got going, the quarterback play was uneven, and the tight end production never gave the offense the dependable middle of the field presence it needed.
Pro Football Focus grades backed up what the eye test suggested, with wide receiver JJ Buchanan, center Jake Guarnera and right tackle Blake Frazier emerging as the top offensive performers. Beyond them, though, the chart was thin, and Zack Marshalls low grade at tight end reflected how few answers Michigan had in the passing game and around the line of scrimmage. For a team already staring at an 0-2 Big Ten start, the bigger concern now is whether theres a fix here or just a longer search for one. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Faces A Bryce Underwood Dilemma It Cant Ignore
Michigans loss to Minnesota did more than hand the Wolverines an ugly result in a building where they had long controlled the series. It also sharpened the focus on Bryce Underwood, the highly touted quarterback whose arrival came with as much financial baggage as expectation, including a reported $12 million, four-year NIL package backed by a donor collective.
Now the questions around Underwood are no longer just about development or timing. If his play continues to wobble, Michigan has to weigh performance against the reality of a massive investment, and any move on the depth chart could carry fallout beyond this season. The bigger concern hanging over the program is how that dynamic could shape Underwoods future, and whether the people around the team can avoid turning a quarterback issue into something far harder to manage. [Read more 🡒]