The Michigan Wolverines are now 5-5 after losing 31-7 to the Oregon Ducks on Saturday.
Here are key takeaways from Michigan’s loss.
Horrendous passing offense
Why not have a bad passing game with one quarterback when you can have a bad passing game with two quarterbacks? Tommy Carr started the game, but Bryce Underwood relieved him for a bit after two drives and was downright awful. Underwood was 2-of-8 for 26 yards while Carr was 4-of-12 for 45 yards with a lost fumble.
Michigan’s passing offense is anemic, Michigan’s offensive
line is horrible in pass protection, and Michigan’s wideouts don’t get open nearly enough. Granted, JJ Buchanan going out early in this one hurt the passing offense, but it’s been one of the worst in the nation even when at full strength.
Worse defensive effort of the season
It was bound to happen — a game where Michigan’s defense had stretches of looking bad. Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola picked Jyaire Hill and Smith Snowden apart, going 20-of-28 for 341 yards with four touchdowns. Raiola had three long touchdowns — from 60 yards, 59 and 49.
Running back Dierre Hill Jr. also had himself a day, rushing for 98 yards on 21 carries. Michigan’s defense rarely had answers in this one. They’ve kept games close all season long, and this was bound to happen — the bottom finally fell out, and the collective energy/cohesion was not there.
Kyle Whittingham has to be fired soon
A video Clayton Sayfie took from the press box really sums up the coach Kyle Whittingham is — a coach who says he doesn’t like to micromanage. With Michigan’s defense huddled up before its second drive of the game, Whittingham is 30 yards away from the huddle and walking further away from players and coaches.
Whittingham is detached from what’s going on. On a play-to-play basis or in the form of a team huddle, he’s not engaged or communicative. Whittingham isn’t a motivator and isn’t really coaching. He’s just… there.
Whittingham has been a good coach in the past, but there’s no reason to believe the version of Whittingham we’re seeing at Michigan is about to do a 180 and turn things around the rest of this season or the next.
The sooner Michigan acknowledges that this hire didn’t work out and it’s not a good fit, the better for both Whittingham and the football program. Whittingham doesn’t have a grasp of Michigan’s traditions, and he doesn’t realize there’s an urgency and hunger to win now, not later.
Whittingham has promised he’s going to figure things out at Michigan, but it’s a hollow promise that’s bound to be one that gets broken. Kyle Whittingham can no longer coach at an adequate level, and to believe that additions to the roster or a better offensive coordinator will greatly change the trajectory of this team feels like a risky exercise. Evidence continues to pile up that Whittingham is a major part of the problem, and if he sticks around in 2027, it’ll only delay the inevitable — his firing.
Michigan is 5-5 and on their way to 5-7 with games left against UCLA and Ohio State. Is it already time to say enough is enough?
