‘I pointed fingers’: Michigan player issues statement after blasting coach in leaked DMs

‘I pointed fingers’: Michigan player issues statement after blasting coach in leaked DMs

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‘I pointed fingers’: Michigan player issues statement after blasting coach in leaked DMs
Michigan Wolverines
Sep 6, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Michigan Wolverine helmets sit on the field near the sideline prior to a game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Michigan Wolverines lost thier second consecutive game on Sunday, falling 20-14 on the road to the Minnesota Gophers. It’s been a brutal two-week stretch for the Wolverines, a program that entered the season with legitimate College Football Playoff aspirations under new head coach Kyle Whittingham, who was brought in to stabilize the program following the scandals that have plagued it in recent seasons.

After falling to 3-2, leaked DMs that were alleged to be from tight end Zack Marshall went viral on social media. In the messages, Marshall defends quarterback Bryce Underwood, while placing blame for the offense’s poor showings at the start of the season on the coaching staff and, in particular, offensive coordinator Jason Beck.

On Tuesday, Marshall addressed the DMs, taking full accountability for the messages.

“Last weekend, in the hours after we lost, I made some inappropriate comments that I regret,” Marshall wrote in a statement posted on X.

“This game is won and lost as a team, and I pointed fingers instead of taking accountability. I let my frustrations speak for me in an emotional moment. I apologize to my teammates and coaches for the unnecessary drama that this has caused. I will always be proud to represent Michigan and will continue to give everything I have for this program. I love Ann Arbor, the Univeristy of Michigan, and Team 147.”

Questions need answered

While it’s great to see Marshall take accountability, it would be foolish to pretend the Wolverines don’t have some very serious questions that need answering.

During the most recent episode of The Triple Option, former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer spoke about what he thinks Michigan’s problem is on the offensive side of the ball.

“I don’t see a fast solution at all because … have not said this yet, It’s a train wreck right now,” Meyer said. “….This is not all on (Bryce Underwood). Unfortunately, he plays that position that is all on him. You know, whenever they win, the quarterback gets too much glory, and when they lose, they get too much blame. But that sideline, I just didn’t feel the dudes anywhere.

“And I was looking. I was staring. You know, plays are going on, and I’m staring because I did that for so long. I’m saying, ‘where are the grown-[expletive] men?’ And I didn’t feel it. I didn’t see it when there had to be a big stop. I didn’t see the, you know, the energy, and you know, I just didn’t see it … Passion, energy, and toughness. I didn’t see it.”

Unfortunately for the Wolverines, Whittingham is scrambling for answers himself.

“I’m still trying to figure it out. I’ve been in this profession 40-plus years, and this is the biggest challenge I’ve had,” Whittingham said after Saturday’s loss. “And we will get it figured out, I promise you that. I’m not sure what the timeline is, but I promise you we’ll get it figured out at some juncture.”

The good news for the Wolverines is that the program has a bye week to figure things out before facing Penn State on October 17.

The post ‘I pointed fingers’: Michigan player issues statement after blasting coach in leaked DMs appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.

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