Kyle Whittingham mentioned that there was “no external pressure” involved in the dismissal of Michigan offensive coordinator Jason Beck.
Whittingham changed his stance on assessing Beck’s contribution to the Wolverines’ offense after reviewing the game footage of Michigan’s 15-6 defeat to Michigan State.
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“When I reviewed the film and really focused on it, it became clear to me that a change was necessary now, as there was significant regression in the offense during that specific game, which led to my decision,” Whittingham stated on Monday, November 9.
“No external pressure. Just my own evaluation, my own intuition, my own gut feeling.”
The Wolverines managed only 152 total yards of offense against the Spartans’ defense, which, heading into Week 11, ranks 10th in the Big Ten for total defense (allowing 337.0 yards per game) and 14th in scoring defense (allowing 23.6 points per game).
With the defeat against Michigan State, Michigan has now dropped four of its last six contests under Whittingham, with the offense scoring 21 points or fewer in six of their last seven games. The Wolverines have surpassed the 21-point mark only twice this season—once against UTEP and once against Rutgers, who share the last position in the Big Ten at 1-5 (along with Michigan State and Maryland).
Michigan’s offense, which began with Bryce Underwood at quarterback before transitioning to freshman Tommy Carr, is among the least effective units nationwide. The Wolverines sit at No. 126 in scoring (19.6 points per game) and No. 132 in total offense (302.6 yards per game).
These statistics place them 17th in the Big Ten, trailing only Michigan State.
According to a copy of Beck’s contract acquired by the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, Beck might be entitled to a buyout of as much as $10.1 million, although that amount could be lessened by several factors specified in his contract.
Whittingham acknowledged that the offensive issues were “not solely” Beck’s fault, as he had joined Whittingham from Utah after holding the same position there. Nevertheless, Whittingham asserted that he “has a duty to the program to make the best decisions for it,” without hesitation, which is why he chose to act now rather than wait a few weeks.
“My responsibility is to make choices that I believe promote the best interests of the program, regardless of how challenging they may be,” Whittingham expressed. “You have to set aside personal feelings because I genuinely like Jason Beck. … It was challenging, but I’ve had to face such situations before, and that’s the nature of this profession. You must prioritize what is best.”
Michigan will aim to secure bowl eligibility on Saturday, November 14, at 3:30 p.m. ET when they head to Autzen Stadium to face No. 19 Oregon.
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This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Kyle Whittingham discusses the pivotal moment that led to Jason Beck’s firing
