Michigan football has effectively been playing whack-a-mole on offense.
Between the penalties and turnovers, the lack of explosive plays and inconsistent passing attack, U-M has been searching to fix a number of problems for weeks. While coach Kyle Whittingham has identified the giveaways as the crux of the problem, the main problem might stem from a lack of a run game.
It has been a staple in Ann Arbor for decades. It was a highly successful staple last year in Utah, where the vast majority of the offensive staff came from, including Whittingham and coordinator Jason Beck, that led to an 11-win season. For whatever reason this season at U-M, however, it has been woeful.
“I've been disappointed in where it's at and kind of started Week 1,” offensive
coordinator Jason Beck said Wednesday, Oct. 14, in Ann Arbor. “That was something that was really surprising with that Western Michigan game. We're looking at everything to tweak and adjust and fix and get better ... we kind of used to be a really dynamic rushing team and want to get back to that.”
Whittingham said the offense used the bye week to reassess and "canned" some of the elements that have been the least successful. While it won't be a scaling back of the rhino formation that includes an extra offensive lineman − Beck said statistically the rhino with three wide receivers has been U-M's most productive personnel this year − outside run plays could be slashed.
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Beck said, "we’ve been very little perimeter the last week or two,” but it's not only about scheme. The offensive line has to get to the second level of blocks, running backs must be patient enough to find the hole and somebody, anybody, has to make an elite play to rip off a big run.
“We come here understanding what the standard is and what we need to do, and I feel like we're letting our teammates down sometimes when we don't execute our plays and our blocks,” center Jake Guarnera said this week. “We've got to keep faith in ourselves and us as a unit and we know we can do it. Now, we have to go do it.”
The numbers haven't given reason for optimism. Jordan Marshall has run 56 times for 244 yards (4.4 yards per carry) and just three touchdowns. His longest run is 17 yards.
Savion Hiter has 46 carries for 145 yards (3.2 ypc) with only one run of more than 8 yards.
Hiter, a five-star freshman recruit, said recently on the program's "In The Trenches" podcast he has tried to "stay away from all that stuff" when asked about the weight of expectations, instead saying he likes to "keep to myself and my circle." He said over the bye week he and the offense have re-grouped and emphasized a more consistent approach.
"Execute every play, we haven't finished a lot," Hiter said. "I feel like we're going to get it done for Penn State."
Michigan is ranked No. 98 nationally in rushing (135 yards per game) out of 138 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, and doesn't have a single rusher with a 100-yard game through five weeks for the first time this century.
It hasn't helped that U-M's offensive line has battled multiple injuries − Andrew Sprague will miss the Penn State game Saturday, Andrew Babalola hasn't played this year and Blake Frazier, Nate Efobi and Guarnera are all on the Week 7 availability report.
Whittingham said the team isn't making any "major personnel changes" this week, and Beck opened up about the foundation of their offensive philosophy.
“At the heart of what we do is we’re always adapting to, first, your quarterback, and then your personnel, and whatever it takes to be successful,” Beck said. “So there’s no just ‘here’s the playbook and here’s the plays we’re going to run no matter what, hell or high water.’
“It’s always evolving, changing. You’re trying to crack the code on what’s best for this group. So obviously we got a lot of cracking to do, because we haven’t figured that out."
It starts with improving the run game – a key component to Michigan's Big Ten dominance at the start of the decade.
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
Next up: Nittany Lions
Matchup: Michigan (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) vs. Penn State (3-3, 0-3).
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 17; Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor.
TV/radio: CBS; WCSX-FM (94.7).
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football running game has disappeared in 2026. What happened?
