Michigan fires offensive coordinator Beck
New head coach Kyle Whittingham replaces Jason Beck with Jim Harding after the team posted one of the nation's worst offensive outputs.
By Justin Brooks ·
Kyle Whittingham dismissed offensive coordinator Jason Beck on Sunday night, marking the first major personnel change of his tenure as head coach at the University of Michigan.
Whittingham cited performance gaps between expectations and results as the primary reason for the decision. In a statement released Sunday evening, he explained that the offense required new leadership to improve the team's chances of success. He noted that the current results did not match the desired outcome for the program.
Jim Harding has been appointed as the interim offensive coordinator for the remainder of the 2026 season. Harding currently serves as the offensive line coach and assistant head coach. He previously worked alongside Whittingham at the University of Utah for 12 seasons, including two years as co-offensive coordinator.
The Wolverines entered the season ranked 16th in the AP Top 25 but have struggled to maintain that standing. The team now sits with a 5-4 overall record and a 2-4 mark in Big Ten Conference play. Their offensive statistics place them near the bottom of the Football Bowl Subdivision, with total offense ranked 132nd out of 138 teams. Scoring offense is ranked 126th, passing offense 125th, and rushing offense 109th.
Recent games have highlighted the team's inconsistency. Michigan barely avoided a shutout against Michigan State on Saturday, scoring with 1 minute and 35 seconds remaining in a 15-6 loss. The team was favored by two touchdowns in that contest. This marked the third time this season that the Wolverines were held scoreless in a first half, a frequency not seen since 1979.
Beck joined the staff after serving as offensive coordinator at Utah in the previous season. During that campaign, Utah ranked second in rushing, fourth in total offense, and fifth in scoring. Before Utah, he held the same position at New Mexico in 2024. Whittingham praised Beck's character and effort in his statement, stating that Beck is a great man and coach who will be wished the best in the future.
Tensions within the program became public earlier in the month following a 20-14 loss to Minnesota. Tight end Zach Marshall sent critical messages about Beck in group texts that were leaked on social media. Marshall apologized publicly but did not play in the subsequent game against Penn State due to a non-injury situation, according to Whittingham.
The quarterback rotation under Beck’s management drew scrutiny. Bryce Underwood, a former No. 1 recruit, was benched in favor of backup Tommy Carr during the Penn State game. Carr, whose grandfathers are College Hall of Famers, led the team to a comeback victory. Carr struggled against Michigan State the following week, but Whittingham stated that the offensive coaching staff wanted to continue with Carr, a decision the head coach supported.
The Wolverines face a challenging schedule in their final three games. They play at No. 18 Oregon on Saturday, then host No. 4 UCLA at home. The season concludes with a road trip to face 21st-ranked Ohio State. Michigan may be underdogs in all three remaining contests, with bowl eligibility at stake.
