Michigan won nine games last season, but anyone who sat through the offense knows why that never fully felt like a convincing campaign. Too much of it looked forced, and the passing game rarely managed to find a real groove. And that’s why Zack Marshall’s reaction to Jason Beck’s system matters, as Michigan players already sound relieved by the change this spring.

“We’re pretty deep now,” Zack Marshall said on The Team by Champ Media, hosted by QB Chase Herbstreit. “And it’s crazy how fast we’ve been able to install these. Like it’s unreal. And then you can change things on the fly so easily with this new offense.”

This change is a huge factor because Michigan’s old offense didn’t allow that kind of flexibility. Under the previous regime, the system leaned heavily into pro-style precision that demanded perfection under Chip Lindsey and Sherrone Moore. Every movement was about opening a window and not necessarily getting open yourself. Zack Marshall made it clear that it didn’t always work.

“If he’s inside leverage of you, we kind of want you to cross his face because we’ve got to open the window for the next guy,” he explained. “Well, what if the next guy is not open? Like that, that was how my brain thought.”

That rigid framework often left receivers completely blanketed if the primary route concept failed. Instead of forcing players to run into a brick wall just to serve the scheme, Beck is finally cutting them loose to read the defense and find open grass in real time. 

“Now it’s like, OK, don’t just open the window, wrap him and get to the next window so that you’re going to be able to be open and pull the other guy open if he attacks you. So there’s a lot of freedom in this new offense.”

Jason Beck’s recent track record validates the shift he’s made. Before arriving in Ann Arbor, his revamped RPO-heavy system turned Utah into a top-five national scoring offense, averaging over 41.1 points per game. Beck blended heavy-tight-end sets with modern quick-game freedom, offering the exact schematic relief Michigan’s passing game desperately needed.

Outside of flashes from Andrew Marsh, separation was a struggle, and QB Bryce Underwood couldn’t find consistent momentum. Now that the same roster with increased flexibility is bringing additions like John Henry Daley and Jaime Ffrench to boost the offense. 

As Marshall and Herbstreit claimed, Michigan is already 70% installed before spring ball even fully kicks off. In addition to Jason Beck’s new style offense, Kyle Whittingham made another impactful addition to Ann Arbor to benefit TEs.

Kyle Whittingham’s brother is getting love in Michigan

With the way things unraveled last season, Kyle Whittingham made a not-so-subtle reset when he took over Michigan. He rebuilt the environment with familiar faces who came with him from Utah. Besides Jason Beck, one of the most important hires was his brother, Freddie Whittingham, who is the new TEs coach. His impact is already felt across the locker room. 

“Coach Freddie’s awesome,” Zack Marshall said. “He is funny. He’s very down to earth, like the kindest human, which is just something that you can really appreciate about a coach. It was very easy to learn this game with him… We’re just happy to kind of have a new feel, new flow going.”

The day-to-day approach is already different, as there are fewer dragging meetings replaced by more frequent, shorter ones. And that style of leaning heavily on TEs as both blockers and primary receiving threats fits what Utah has done for years. Over the past five seasons, TEs accounted for over 30% of the Utes’ passing production. And now, it’s headed to Ann Arbor.

For Zack Marshall, a former 3-star recruit who once built a relationship with Freddie during recruiting, this feels like things are coming full circle. The “family culture” he saw in a quick 10-hour visit to Utah is now being rebuilt at Michigan. Fans will get their first real taste of the new system under Kyle Whittingham on April 18 at the spring game.