ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football coach Kyle Whittingham shook up his offensive staff in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Sunday, Nov. 8, removing coordinator Jason Beck with the regular season down to its final three games.
The move took effect immediately, the athletic department announced. Jim Harding takes over play-calling on an interim basis through the end of the regular season, while Whittingham looks nationwide for a permanent hire.
Harding already coaches the offensive line and serves as assistant head coach. He spent 12 seasons on Whittingham’s staff at Utah, two of them as co-offensive coordinator.
The decision came one day after the Wolverines fell 15-6 to Michigan State at Michigan Stadium. Michigan scored its only touchdown with 1:35 left, narrowly avoiding its first shutout since 2014, and has gone into halftime without a point in three games this season.
The numbers under Beck were among the worst in major college football. Out of 138 FBS programs, Michigan sits 132nd in total offense and 126th in scoring. Beck had followed Whittingham from Utah, where his offense ranked No. 2 nationally in rushing last season.
Whittingham said the results fell short of what the program wanted and thanked Beck for his work. Michigan, now 5-4 and 2-4 in the Big Ten, plays at No. 18 Oregon on Saturday before closing with UCLA at home and Ohio State on the road.
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