The Michigan Wolverines needed to make a change with the coaching staff after losing 15-6 to Michigan State on Saturday.

But the move they made to fire offensive coordinator Jason Beck will be a costly one.

The Wolverines offense has been a problem all season. UM made a quarterback change midseason, turning from Bryce Underwood to Tommy Carr before a 13-6 loss to Indiana on Oct. 24. Since that move, Michigan has scored 40 points and lost two games.

The Wolverines gained only 192 yards of total offense against MSU. Michigan scored its only points of the game on a touchdown with 1:35 remaining in the fourth quarter.

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Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, Michigan will owe Beck up to $10.1 million after the firing, which is believed to be the biggest buyout for an assistant in college football.

"Per the terms of his contract, Jason Beck is set to be owed up to $10.1 million dollars," Thamel posted on X. "That's nearly $7 million in salary and nearly $3.1 in retention bonuses. The contract is subject to off-set and mitigation. It's believed to be the biggest buyout for a college assistant."

Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham brought Beck with him from Utah, where Beck served as his quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator in 2025.

Whittingham suggested in a press conference on Saturday that he would not explore making a change at offensive coordinator until after the season. Something changed overnight.

In a statement on Sunday, Whittingham explained the reason for firing Beck.

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

Jim Harding will serve as Michigan's interim offensive coordinator for the rest of the season.

Michigan is 5-4 overall and 2-4 in Big Ten play in Whittingham's first season with the program. The Wolverines will next play No. 23 Oregon in Week 11. The Ducks offense has played better in recent weeks after offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer was fired on Oct. 25.

For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.

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