Michigan could not have hit its bye week at a better time, especially after falling to Minnesota 20-14, when the offense was only able to put up seven points. The other touchdown came courtesy of a great pick-six from linebacker Nathaniel Staehling. Head coach Kyle Whittingham hinted at changes coming for the Wolverines; now it's a matter of just how many.
It seems, though, that players shouldn't be the only ones worried about their positions. After the loss to Minnesota, Whittingham was asked whether or not coaches and their performances are being evaluated as well as the players, and the head Michigan man said everything is in play, which means no one is safe.
"Everything's in play. What you don't want to do is panic. We are 3-2," Whittingham said. "We have seven games to right the ship as much as we can during this bye week."
Kyle Whittingham on if coaches are being evaluated as well as players:
— Clayton Sayfie (@CSayf23) October 3, 2026
"Everything's in play. What you don't want to do is panic. We are 3-2. We have seven games to right the ship as much as we can during this bye week."
Yes, everything is in play, but it feels crazy to think there are going to be many changes made on the defensive side of the ball. Jay Hill's defense is the reason the Wolverines have continued to be in games in the end due to their dominant play. When the defense is out on the field for nearly three quarters of the game and still holds opponents to less than 21 points, that is saying a lot.
It feels like Whittingham is mainly looking at the offense here, from players like Bryce Underwood to coaches like Jason Beck and Jim Harding. There is too much time left in the season for things not to change, as Whittingham said, and some tough decisions may be made.
Kyle Whittingham doesn't want to panic, but maybe he should be
It is bad in Ann Arbor right now. A loss to Minnesota never felt possible at the start of the season, even on the road. Michigan had not lost a game at Minnesota since 1977, so this is a new feeling for a lot of Wolverines fans. While I don't think Whittingham should fully panic, I do think he should take the protective covering off the panic button.
It feels like nothing has gone to plan for Whittingham and Michigan this season. The hype around Underwood in the offseason feels like total bogus. His footwork is a mess, his decision-making doesn't seem improved, and other than running the ball, he struggles to move the offense up the field.
Now, it is not like this is all on Underwood. There have been some key drops from Andrew Marsh, the offensive line has really struggled all season long with protection and blocking, the run game hasn't been even close to the hype it got, and even play-calling has been questionable.
When it comes to offensive line play and offensive calls, that goes back to Harding as the line coach and Beck as the offensive coordinator. Harding at least has the excuse of dealing with injuries since fall camp, but everyone deals with injuries and still has better offensive line play than what Michigan has gotten.
Beck, on the other hand, is just as frustrated with the offense, according to Whittingham, but it feels like nothing is changing from week to week. The only game that seemed to have a great mix of pass and run plays was Iowa, when Underwood got the ball down the field well, but then fell apart in the red zone when the defense was expecting the run.
Whittingham has a lot to look at over the next two weeks when deciding how to move forward. Does he make a change in who calls plays? Does he bench Underwood for Tommy Carr? How does Michigan get other pass-catchers more involved in the offense? Hopefully, he is able to come up with some answers.
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