Kyle Whittingham didn’t plan to make a move right away. After Michigan’s 15-6 loss to Michigan State, the idea was to hold off on any judgment of offensive coordinator Jason Beck until the season was over.
A second look changed everything.
“When I turned the film on and really dove into it, it just became apparent to me that we needed to make the change now,” Whittingham said Monday, one day after Michigan fired Beck and named offensive line coach Jim Harding the interim offensive coordinator. “There was just too much regression in the offense in that particular game, and that was what led to the decision.”
The numbers from that loss told the story. Michigan managed only 192 total yards, and 75 of them came on a fourth-quarter touchdown drive after the game was already out of reach.
The Wolverines are 5-4 overall and 2-4 in the Big Ten, and the offense has been stuck in the mud for most of Beck’s tenure. Michigan scored fewer than 20 points in six of his nine games as OC and reached the 30-point mark only once, in a 52-17 win over UTEP.
Beck’s dismissal closes the book on a remarkably expensive and abrupt run. He arrived on a three-year deal worth $9.15 million, along with a $1.74 million signing bonus.
Michigan also guaranteed him $3.1 million in retention bonuses. If he gets the full value of the contract, the school will pay him $14 million for nine games, minus whatever he makes in his next job.
Whittingham said the call was his alone and insisted there was “zero outside influence.”
“It was not easy,” Whittingham said. “I’ve had to do it before.
That’s the nature of the business. I owe it to the program to do what’s best for the program.”
Beck came to Michigan after a one-year turnaround at Utah, where his offense featured pre-snap motion, unusual formations, gadget plays and a heavy dose of quarterback runs. Michigan brought him in with a roster that included several familiar pieces, most notably quarterback Bryce Underwood, running back Jordan Marshall and wide receiver Andrew Marsh, along with Utah transfer JJ Buchanan.
But those returning players never found their footing in Beck’s system. Underwood has thrown five touchdowns and six interceptions and has lost the starting quarterback job to freshman Tommy Carr, though Whittingham said the team will revisit that position this week before Saturday’s game at Oregon.
Marshall has also taken a step back, logging just two carries for 4 yards against Michigan State. He has 323 rushing yards this season and is averaging 3.7 yards per carry after putting up 932 yards and a 6.2-yard average last year.
The frustration around the offense had been building for weeks. Fans took aim at the heavy use of a sixth offensive lineman, the “rhino,” and at the lack of a consistent downhill run game. Whittingham said he shared some of those concerns, including a roll-out pass near the goal line that ended a chance to score in a low-scoring game against Indiana.
He also admitted Michigan failed to tailor the offense to the players it had.
“You can’t just say, ‘Here’s what we’re doing on offense, period. We’re not gonna be flexible.
We’re going to be very rigid,’” Whittingham said. “You’ve got to be able to adapt to your personnel, and we just didn’t do a good job of that this year.”
Harding now takes over, but Whittingham made clear this is not a full reset. A veteran offensive line coach, Harding previously served as Utah’s co-offensive coordinator under Whittingham in 2015-16. Michigan still has three games left - Oregon, UCLA and Ohio State - and needs one win to become bowl eligible.
“You can’t do major changes at this juncture,” Whittingham said. “There will be a few new wrinkles, but to say it’s a complete overhaul, that’s not how it is.”
In Other News...
Josh Green Is Giving The Jazz A Decision They Didn't Expect
Josh Green has quietly become one of the more useful pieces on Utahs roster this season, especially when injuries or lineup changes have pushed him into the starting group. He has brought steady two-way value in those spots, and the Jazz have seen the floor tilt in a positive direction when he is out there, a useful development for a player brought in as part of a bigger roster reshuffle.
What makes Green interesting now is less what he has done than what it means for the Jazzs next step. A player who arrived in a deal tied to a lottery pick and a waived contract was not supposed to force much of a conversation, but his performance has made his place in the long-term picture less obvious. Utah has to sort through whether his role keeps growing or whether his value becomes part of a larger decision down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Face One Big Availability Question As Losing Streak Drags On
The Jazz head into their home matchup with Miami already thin and still trying to steady a season that has been undercut by injuries and inconsistency. Keyonte George remains out with a right ankle sprain, while Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic are also sidelined, leaving Utah to sort through another night of lineup uncertainty before tipoff.
Lauri Markkanen is the biggest question on the board after being upgraded to questionable with a wrist sprain, and his status could shape how much offense the Jazz can realistically expect to generate. Miami, meanwhile, brings its own injury note with Giannis Antetokounmpo listed as probable, but for Utah the immediate concern is whether it can get enough healthy pieces on the floor to keep the skid from growing. [Read more 🡒]
Andrew Wiggins Brings One Big Heat Question Into Utah
The Heats trip to Salt Lake City on Tuesday adds another layer to a Jazz schedule that has already been shaped by an active offseason and the early tone of the new season. Utah will meet Miami at the Delta Center on Nov. 10, with both teams still trying to settle into form as the calendar moves deeper into November.
For Miami, Andrew Wiggins is one of the more intriguing names in the matchup because of the way he has opened the season and the way he described his own approach moving forward. The Jazz have plenty to monitor on their end as well, but Wiggins search for a better rhythm gives this one a little extra edge beyond the usual cross-conference stop. [Read more 🡒]