Kyle Whittingham said there was "zero outside influence" in the firing of Michigan offensive coordinator Jason Beck.
Whittingham reversed course on his intentions to evaluate Beck's work with the Wolverine's offense once he turned on the film of Michigan's 15-6 loss to Michigan State.
"When I turned the film on and really dove into it, just became apparent to me that needed to make the change now, and there's just too much regression in the offense in that particular game, and that's what led to the decision," Whittingham said on Monday, Nov. 9.
"Zero outside influence. Just own my own analysis, my own feel, my own gut instinct."
#Michigan HC Kyle Whittingham on
the firing of OC Jason Beck: "Well, watching the film was the deciding factor, and I had the intention of waiting until after the season, as I mentioned, but when I turned the film on and really dove into it, it just became apparent to me that we… pic.twitter.com/hjbrUHM879
— Brice Marich (@BriceMarich) November 9, 2026
The Wolverines were able to create just 152 total yards of offense against the Spartans' defense, which heads into Week 11 ranks 10th in the Big Ten in total defense (337.0 yards allowed per game) and 14th in scoring defense (23.6 points allowed per game).
With its loss to Michigan State, Michigan has now lost four of its last six games under Whittingham, with its offense scoring 21 points or fewer in six of its last seven games. The Wolverines have scored more than 21 points only twice this season, once against UTEP and once against Rutgers, which is tied for last in the Big Ten at 1-5 (with Michigan State and Maryland).
Michigan's offense — which started with Bryce Underwood at quarterback before shifting to freshman Tommy Carr — is one of the worst units in the nation. The Wolverines rank No. 126 in scoring (19.6 points per game) and No. 132 in total offense (302.6 yards per game).
Those marks are 17th in the Big Ten, with only Michigan State behind them.
According to a copy of Beck's contract obtained by the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, Beck could be owed a buyout of up to $10.1 million, though that figure could be mitigated by a number of factors outlined in his contract.
Whittingham said the Wolverines' offensive struggles were "not all" on Beck, who joined him from Utah after serving in the same role. However, Whittingham said he "owes it to the program to do what's best for the program," no questions asked, and that is why he ultimately decided to make the change now instead of in a few weeks.
"My job is to make decisions that I believe are in the best interest of the program, no matter how difficult they may be," Whittingham said. "You got to put personal feelings aside because I really like Jason Beck. … It was not easy, but I've had to do it before, and that's the nature of the business. You got to do what's best."
Michigan will look to become bowl-eligible on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 3:30 p.m. ET when it travels to Autzen Stadium to take on No. 19 Oregon.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kyle Whittingham reveals breaking point in decision to fire Jason Beck
