Michigan fired offensive coordinator Jason Beck on Sunday, one day after a 15-6 loss to Michigan State in which the Wolverines managed only 192 total offensive yards. Offensive line coach Jim Harding will serve as interim offensive coordinator for the remainder of the season.
Beck, the nation's highest-paid offensive coordinator, arrived with head coach Kyle Whittingham after a successful season together at Utah. However, that success did not translate in Ann Arbor, where Michigan sits at 5-4 and ranks among the most disappointing teams in the country. The loss to Michigan State proved to be the final straw.
"The results have not matched our desired outcome, and I felt that a change in leadership was required for our offense," Whittingham said Sunday. "We need to put our offensive players and the entire team in the best possible position to be successful. We appreciate the hard work and effort that Jason has dedicated to the program. Jason is a great man and coach, and unfortunately, it did not work out the way that we wanted it to at Michigan. We wish Jason and his family nothing but the best in the future."
Michigan had already made a quarterback change earlier in the season, benching highly paid former five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood in favor of freshman Tommy Carr. The offense continued to struggle, ranking 125th in passing offense, 126th in scoring offense, and 132nd in total offense out of 138 FBS teams.
Beck's firing carries a significant financial cost. The Wolverines owe Beck as much as $10.2 million to buy out a three-year deal that paid him $2.8 million this season and was set to increase to more than $3 million in each of the next two seasons, according to sources. The buyout could be the most expensive for an assistant coach ever, though it is subject to offset mitigation.
Pressure had been building on Whittingham as the offense floundered, particularly after a 13-6 loss to Indiana in which Michigan managed only 57 rushing yards on 42 carries. The program had invested heavily in its roster, especially on offense, but Beck was unable to fit the acquired pieces into his system.
The change raises questions about Whittingham's own future. Michigan is conducting an athletic director search to replace outgoing AD Warde Manuel and would prefer to hire a new AD before deciding on Whittingham's status, sources said. However, it is not out of the realm of possibility that Whittingham could be one-and-done in Ann Arbor if losses continue. "I think they know this isn't the long term," one industry source said. "It's just, do you rip it up after one year?"
