Michigan fires Jason Beck after loss to Michigan State Spartans

Welcome back to SportsWorks Sunday night, the rivalry matchup between Michigan and Michigan State not going according to plan for the Maize and Blue, and a cost offensive coordinator, Jason Beck, his job. Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham making the announcement of the change on Sunday. Jim Harding will take over in the interim for the rest of the season. How did all of this come down so quickly? Let's just take a look at this edition of College Rewind. Oh. Second down, 10. Michigan State, I'll take it to Milo Voivod. Quickly gets rid of it. 10 seconds left. He's gone. Good cut, though. He's coming. Hill, almost got there, float down the sideline, to Bryson Williams. It's their Super Bowl. Gleeson, first down, just an up ball, ripped out. Wow. Turnover game. To the Spartan Dogs, to all of our former players, and to the Spartan Nation, this one's for you. You guys have been so welcoming to myself, our staff, our families, all of our new players since we got here last December. And I know we haven't gotten what you want and what we want as far as wins. Thank you very much. But I also told you when I took this job that I know that this game just means more. And I thought our guys came ready to play, and we did a great job finishing the job. Some production, some good production in a lot of areas last week. And there's nothing productive about this game, Joe. It's not one step back, it's three steps back. Couldn't run the ball, throw the ball worth a darn, turned it over four times, couldn't make first downs, couldn't make any third down conversions, or two of ten. I got the quarterback sacked five times. Really, I can't come up with one positive offensively in this game. So we're right back to the drawing board. Back to the drawing board and back to the round table with Wojo and Rieger. All right, guys. Michigan firing offensive coordinator Jason Beck. Obviously the fall guy. 192 yards of offense and four turnovers against Michigan State. That is the exit. Yes. He's not just a fall guy. He was not working as an offensive coordinator. And whether Kyle Whittingham wanted to wait until after the season, as he had said several times, I don't think he necessarily, well, he may have been forced to do it. Maybe he was thinking about it. And they said, and Ward Manuel is still the AD, and said- Well, then do it now. If you're thinking about it, do it now, because that was, honest to God, Woody, as you know, I've been covering games in the big house since 1927 when it opened. Yeah, I know. That was the worst offensive performance by the home team I have ever seen, and that in no way is diminishing how well Michigan, how hard Michigan State played. But Michigan State didn't do anything tricky defensively. They just played hard, hit hard, and Michigan had no answer. Jeff, what hurts more, the rivalry loss or what it revealed? about Michigan's offense. Well, I mean, I think we knew about the offense, right? We knew the offense has been struggling all year long, doesn't score in halves, it's been putrid. But I think the rivalry lost. Okay, so work with me. You said the worst offensive performance since you've been alive, which is what, 1901? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, okay, okay. I think this is worse than Appalachian State. I think this is worse than Toledo. I think Brady, Hulk, and Rich Rodriguez are staring and laughing at Kyle Whittingham. This was so embarrassing to lose to that Michigan State team that was missing 18 players, 14 starters, 54 yards of rushing. Michigan State is like 85th against the run. That was, I'm telling you, the most pathetic Michigan performance I've ever seen in my life. And you know what it was? What was it? Whittingham. He's lost. Well, he does. He looks like he doesn't fit. He doesn't want to be there, man. And it wasn't Michigan State didn't just win because of the rivalry, because I don't want to diminish like Alessio had a good game in the running back. Tullis had a really good game, but it was the difference in the rivalry, the mentality and Whittingham didn't even know what he was stepping into when he talked about, I think it's our second biggest rivalry in the Super Bowl. Those These were mistakes of a guy that has not fully integrated himself into where he is. All right, you know what? Good luck for Michigan with Oregon next week. But let's talk about Michigan State right now. How much does this win change the mood and confidence inside of Pat Fitzgerald's locker room? I was going to say, I think the mood has been pretty steadily decent. Is this a turning point for them? For a team that had lost six in a row and two in six, it can be a turning point. They do have to, as always, show that it wasn't just... Fired up for the big rivalry game, and they do need to get healthy as well, and that there's something sustainable. But they look to me like a well-coached team. Defensive players were in position, and the running back, they ran so hard. I was very impressed. Yeah, the run game definitely controlled the tempo, but, Jeff, defense was big. That's the identity Fitzgerald needs to start building around. Yeah, there's no question. I mean, they forced four turnovers. They were outstanding in that regard. But I think Fitz just got an extension. Now, not really, but, I mean, you look in Michigan State, and they weren't just dying for any bit of good news Michigan State football-wise. And not only did you get good news with those moral victories with hanging. with, you know, Notre Dame and almost beating Northwestern at home. But to knock off Michigan as a 14-and-a-half-point dog like you did, it doesn't matter if you win another game. And let's be honest, I don't know if this is a turning point. Nobody knows if it's a turning point. But this game, for this moment, I think Michigan State fans, at least for a second, are happy. You say it's not a turning point, but what does it say about the direction of the program under the current leadership? Well, I think at some point, because I do believe those programs And even the fans, even with the losses, had bought into Pat Fitzgerald and his message and physicality and everything else. But you do need reinforcement at some point. And after six straight Big Ten losses, he had to get something before the season was over. And what a perfect way to deliver it on that nationally televised Saturday night event. You know what? A lot of times on your radio station there, I hear guys talking about how college football rivalries are not the same anymore. Because the players aren't there and all that. Pat Fitzgerald, I like the fact that he understands the rivalry, and he lived it. He played in it. So he's bringing his experience to these new guys who have never experienced it and will probably not again because they may transfer early. Well, he didn't play in the Michigan-Michigan State. No, no, no, but he's played in the Big Ten. He much more is a man of the Big Ten, and they much more play that. Well, that's the one thing, right, going into this game. Whittingham is talking about, like, oh, there was a tunnel incident. I don't know if you guys heard about it. Meanwhile, Fitzgerald understands the the magnitude of this rivalry, and he comes from the Big Ten, and he played at Northwestern, so I think that's the one benefit he had. That matters. Absolutely. Going into this game, I think, hey, man, Michigan's got the talent, better defense, better offense, we think, but obviously the better coach is on Michigan State's side. And it's definitely making things feel better in East Lansing, even with a 3-6 record now. You know what? Are all the couches good? I did not see the fire department. Rieger said that. I bet they consumed some beverages. They should have. And you know what? Congratulations to Michigan State. Nice job by the Spartans. Hey, let's move to the...