Michigan football pulled the plug on offensive coordinator Jason Beck; now the questions really start.
How will offensive line coach Jim Harding, promoted to interim OC for the remainder of the season, change the scheme? Will there be less “rhino” personnel calls? Will he get Tony Alford to shrink the running back rotation? Will he look for new ways to attack downfield? Will there be a commitment to more interior running?
While those answers remain unknown, the one thing that seems to be understood is that this offense can not be entirely reinvented in just five days midseason.
WHY IT HAPPENED: Kyle Whittingham didn’t plan to fire Jason Beck. Then he turned on MSU tape
“You can’t do major changes at this juncture, and so it will be collaborative,” coach Kyle Whittingham said Monday, Nov. 9, at his weekly media availability. “It had been collaborative. I mean, it’s never just a one-man show, but you know you can only do so much at this point in the season, and there’ll be a few different wrinkles for sure.
“But to say there’s going to be a complete overhaul, that’s not really feasible.”
Harding has shared offensive coordinator at two stops in his career (2015-16 at Utah, 2013 at Idaho) but has never been in charge of play-calling. Whittingham said there weren’t a ton of proven play-callers on offense on his staff, but opted to tab Harding because “he’s been with me for a lot of years now, and to me, he was the right fit and the right guy to get through these three weeks of the season.”
Although most of the Wolverines‘ hopes have been wiped away, the plan is not to make Harding the long-term solution for the offense, but instead a bandage to help the Wolverines get their sixth win and avoid missing the postseason for the first time since 2014.
OTHER ISSUES: Michigan’s offense stinks, but what happened to defense, special teams?
U-M is also already doing damage control for its future, as Whittingham said he and the staff called “every recruit” Sunday to discuss the direction moving forward.
He called the reaction “receptive and positive,” adding that his vibe was that “nobody was panicking.” He also said a single coach isn’t the only reason for recruits to choose Michigan.
“First of all, it’s Michigan,” he said. “You come to Michigan for a lot of reasons: academics, the tradition, the history. Coaching changes are a part of college football. They go on constantly. There’s been several coordinator changes, head coach changes so far this year, and there’s going to be a lot more, I can tell you that. That’s just part of the deal.
“If you’re looking to go to a place that never has change or turnover, that’s fantasy land.”
Quarterback controversy heading into Oregon
Any goodwill quarterback Tommy Carr had built with his strong showing against Rutgers in October was subsequently lost Saturday with an underwhelming showing in a 15-6 loss to Michigan State. The true freshman completed 14 of 26 passes for 138 yards − 60 of which came on the final offensive possession when the Wolverines were already down 15 points − and two interceptions.
He wasn’t able to use his legs as frequently or effectively as he had in his previous outings, running seven times for a loss of 19 yards. That includes five sacks for a loss of 33 yards; on two intentional runs, he still only gained 14 yards.
He sailed multiple throws, was just 4-for-13 on passes of 10 or more air yards and didn’t make plays when pressured – he was 5-for-11 for 48 yards in those spots, according to Pro Football Focus. That, combined with a potentially tweaked game plan, has led to questions about whether Carr or sophomore Bryce Underwood will get the start against No. 19 Oregon on Saturday (3:30 p.m., FS1).
“To be determined,” Whittingham said Monday. “Going forward, we’ll take a look at everything again and see what gives us the best chance to win, as it always comes down to that.”
Carr, who replaced Underwood at halftime of a rally over Penn State on Oct. 17, has completed 67% of his passes for 641 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in 3½ games. It’s a slight step forward from Underwood, who completed 58.1% passes for 924 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions in 5½ games.
Michigan debated bringing Underwood in to replace Carr “late in the third quarter” against the Spartans, but, Whittingham said, his staff “felt like it wasn’t going to be the answer.”
“If we would have done that, in hindsight maybe we should have done that, but you know we’ve got some serious issues,” he said after the game. “Going to work tomorrow. I don’t know what else to say other than … we’re not going to just give up on the season.”
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football starting quarterback vs Oregon? ‘To be determined’
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