Michigan WR says OC Jason Beck’s message to offense is ‘do a little bit more’, but lots must change

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The Michigan Wolverines limped into their bye week, losing their last two games and now sitting at 3-2 on the season.

If Michigan is to turn their season around, a lot has to be cleaned up.

Michigan receiver J.J. Buchanan, who’s been one of Michigan’s lone bright spots on offense this season, acknowledged that Michigan’s offense is “not doing enough.”

Buchanan also discussed what Michigan offensive coordinator Jason Beck’s message to the team was.

“We’re just little things away from things really being different,” Buchanan said. “Everybody’s gotta do a little bit more. That’s what he said. Everybody’s gotta do a little bit more.”

While the message from Beck may be that the offense needs to “do a little bit more”, the numbers would indicate a lot more needs to change. Michigan ranks No. 122 in total offense, No. 100 in rushing offense, No. 111 in passing offense, No. 106 in scoring offense, and No. 107 in time of possession. Michigan’s defense somehow still ranks No. 6 in total defense despite Michigan’s offense being among the worst in the nation, leading to the defense being on the field far more than they should be.

Buchanan thinks “everything is easily fixable”, but from the outside looking in, there doesn’t seem to be a quick fix. Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood has played poorly this year, the offensive line hasn’t been stellar, and the schematics from Jason Beck’s outside runs when Michigan should be running substantially more power plays are also part of the problem. Michigan also doesn’t utilize tight ends at a high rate in the passing game, leading to J.J. Buchanan and Andrew Marsh receiving an unsustainable share of receiving targets.

For Michigan’s offense to start clicking, it’s going to take a lot more, including not just execution — personnel changes must be made (perhaps a switch from Underwood to Tommy Carr), and schematic changes are necessary (less Wildcat and Rhino packages, more downhill running and fewer outside stretch plays, more tight ends used in the passing game).

If Michigan’s plan is to simply tweak things and not use their current bye week to make drastic changes, more losses should be expected in the near future, especially with Penn State and Indiana as the next two matchups. Is it time for head coach Kyle Whittingham and Jason Beck to panic? Panicking isn’t the answer, but being acutely aware is. Doing the same things and expecting different results when an abundance of evidence is accumulating that there are major issues offensively will only lead to more poor results moving forward.

Perhaps Beck can implement changes swiftly and effectively, but to think it’ll just take a “little bit more” for Michigan’s offense to go from inferior to superior is illogical. Acknowledge and attack the multitude of issues; that’s the only way to put out the fire that is currently burning.

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