Michigan’s final injury report against Penn State had one name that stood out: Zach Marshall. Coming out of a bye week, the Wolverines were still thinner than expected, and Marshall’s move to OUT raised immediate questions because he had not been listed there until the last report.
The uncertainty only grew because of what happened after the Minnesota loss. Marshall had private social media messages leaked in the days after that game, and the texts left him in an ugly spotlight. In those messages, he vented about Michigan’s offense and put a lot of the blame on offensive coordinator Jason Beck.
Marshall later apologized on social media, but Kyle Whittingham’s comments on Monday did little to shut the door on speculation. Whittingham said Marshall missed the Penn State game because of a non-injury situation, without saying more. That only fueled the idea that his absence may have been a punishment, though that remains speculation.
Still, Marshall’s frustration didn’t come out of nowhere. Michigan’s offense was already a mess after the Minnesota loss, and plenty of people inside and outside the building were fed up with the way things were going. Marshall’s comments were sharp, and they were certainly not the best way to handle the situation, but they also pointed to a real issue with the offense.
Beck has drawn criticism at times this season for his playcalling, especially when it comes to helping Bryce Underwood. Marshall called Underwood a really good QB and made it clear he believed Beck was the problem.
That doesn’t mean Marshall’s wording was smart. It wasn’t.
But the underlying point wasn’t empty either. Even when Underwood was benched against Penn State and Tommy Carr came in, the offense’s improvement didn’t come with a sudden shift from Beck.
The playcalling still leaned conservative rather than fully trusting the quarterback.
Underwood has shown he might not be the answer as the starter, but if Michigan wants more from the offense with Carr, Beck still has to open things up and trust the guy under center.
For now, the biggest question is whether Marshall’s absence was a one-game response to the leaked texts. If it was, Michigan could use him back quickly, because the Wolverines may need every bit of help they can get against Indiana.
In Other News...
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Jason Beck has framed the Rhino as a useful tool, but the tradeoff is starting to show in the passing game, where the structure can make things easier to read. Even with that concern hanging around, Michigan has continued to get real production from its true tight ends, and the arrival of Hogan Hansen has added another layer to the position group at a time when the Wolverines are still sorting out exactly how much they want to lean on the Rhino identity. [Read more 🡒]
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McCarthy was hardly the only familiar name to show up. Colston Loveland, Blake Corum, Nico Collins, Devin Bush and Kwity Paye all turned in notable contributions for their teams, a reminder of how much Michigan talent is scattered across the league right now. For fans who have followed these players since college, it made for one of those NFL weekends where the Wolverines were never far from the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Landed A Needed Boost For Its 2027 Passing Future
Michigan picked up a useful addition for its 2027 class with the commitment flip of Yuto Kawamura-Johnson, a three-star receiver prospect who moved from Toledo to Ann Arbor. For a program always looking to keep its pipeline stocked on the perimeter, it is the kind of under-the-radar recruiting win that can matter later, especially as the 2027 class now sits at 22 commitments.
Kawamura-Johnson said he was excited to join Michigan and play under Coach Whittingham, giving the Wolverines another young target to develop as the class takes shape. The flip does not answer every question about how the future passing game will look, but it does add another piece to a group that keeps growing as Michigan tries to build depth and options for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]