The Utes defeated Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl on New Years Eve.
(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck walks to Rice-Eccles Stadium before Utah plays Texas Tech on Sept. 20.
Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck is following Kyle Whittingham to Michigan.
After spending one year with the program, Beck is taking a job with the Wolverines to become the Big Ten program’s next offensive coordinator, Kyle Whittingham said on ESPN’s “College GameDay” on Thursday morning.
“He’s a guy that’s moved the football and scored points everywhere he’s been,” Whittingham said. “It’s going to be a big plus for us having him there in Ann Arbor, as well as a bunch of the other guys that were on the staff at Utah are going to come with him.”
Those staffers include offensive line coach Jim Harding, wide receivers coach Micha Simon, quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer and tight ends coach Freddie Whittingham, CBS Sports reported.
Beck was reportedly a “target” candidate for Michigan’s coordinator opening before Whittingham ultimately agreed to a five-year deal with the Wolverines on Friday.
Beck was offered a sizable contract to stay with new head coach Morgan Scalley and the Utes in Salt Lake City, a source told The Salt Lake Tribune.
Whittingham called Beck’s hire at Michigan “huge for us” and said he expects multiple other Utah assistants to join his staff, too.
In his lone season with the Utes, Beck helped lead Utah to a 10-2 record, the second-best offense in the Big 12 and the sixth-best total offense nationally. Utah scored an average of 42.5 points and rushed for 268.9 yards per game under Beck this season.
The former Ute offensive coordinator was a major piece in bringing junior quarterback Devon Dampier to Salt Lake City after spending the 2024 season with him at the University of New Mexico. Dampier finished the season with 2,180 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns and five interceptions. He also rushed 127 times for 687 rushing yards.
With Beck leaving for Ann Arbor, Michigan, Scalley will have to hire both an offensive coordinator and a defensive coordinator this offseason.
Beck’s exit could have massive implications for Utah’s roster, as well, with the NCAA transfer portal set to officially open Friday.
No. 15 Utah ended its season with a win over Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl on New Year’s Eve.