Michigan fired offensive coordinator Jason Beck on Sunday, Nov. 8, one day after the Wolverines lost 15-6 to rival Michigan State at Michigan Stadium.

Head coach Kyle Whittingham announced the move in a university statement, saying Beck was relieved of his duties effective immediately. Offensive line coach Jim Harding will serve as interim offensive coordinator for the rest of the regular season.

“The results have not matched our desired outcome, and I felt that a change in leadership was required for our offense,” Whittingham said in the statement. “We need to put our offensive players and the entire team in the best possible position to be successful.”

The move comes after nine games in which Michigan’s offense ranked 132nd nationally in total offense, according to the Michigan Daily’s Nov. 8 report. The Wolverines also ranked 125th in passing offense, 109th in rushing offense and 129th in red zone offense.

Michigan (5-4, 2-4 Big Ten) averaged 19.6 points per game through nine games. The team scored fewer than 20 points six times and exceeded 28 points once, according to its official results. Michigan averaged 5 yards per play, ESPN reported.

The cost of the firing is steep. Per ESPN, Beck is owed up to $10.1 million under his contract terms, including nearly $7 million in salary and nearly $3.1 million in retention bonuses. That figure is subject to offset and mitigation. ESPN described it as believed to be the largest buyout ever for a college assistant. The Athletic, in a story republished by the Salt Lake Tribune, reported Beck signed a three-year deal worth $9.15 million plus a $1.74 million signing bonus, with Michigan owing the full contract value for termination without cause.

Beck came to Ann Arbor from Utah, where he spent one season as Whittingham’s offensive coordinator. He was the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the country at $3 million per season, according to The Athletic’s report. At Utah, Beck guided a top-five rushing and total offense, according to his Michigan coaching biography. His signature “rhino” personnel package, which swaps a tight end for a sixth offensive lineman, produced far different results at Michigan.

The Wolverines benched sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood midseason and turned to freshman Tommy Carr. Carr provided a temporary lift, including a 28-21 win at Rutgers on Oct. 31, but threw for 138 yards, two interceptions and zero touchdowns in the Nov. 7 loss to Michigan State, according to Michigan’s game report and statistics.

In Saturday’s rivalry loss, Michigan remained scoreless until Savion Hiter’s 1-yard touchdown run with 1:35 remaining, according to the university’s game report. Michigan lost for the first time in 30 years when not allowing a touchdown, ESPN reported. Beck came down from his usual spot in the coaches’ booth to the sideline at halftime, the Michigan Daily reported.

The program had not been shut out in the first half at Michigan Stadium three times in a single season since 1934, according to ClickOnDetroit.

Harding worked alongside Whittingham for 12 years at Utah, serving as the Utes’ offensive line coach from 2014 to 2025 before following him to Ann Arbor, according to his university biography. Whittingham said he will conduct a national search for a permanent offensive coordinator.

Michigan plays at No. 18 Oregon next, then finishes the regular season against No. 4 UCLA and No. 21 Ohio State, using the Nov. 8 AP rankings.