The Michigan offense has been dreadful this year. Only Stanford, Michigan State, and Colorado are Power Four teams that are scoring fewer points per game. Meanwhile, Michigan is second-to-last in yards and last in passing yards per game among Power Four teams. With other teams, such as Oregon, firing a coordinator due to performance, there are questions as to whether or not Michigan and Kyle Whittingham may do the same thing.

Now, Whittingham is preaching patience when it comes to the staff, per Nick Kosko of On3.

“Now’s the time of year where, you know, you’re seeing head coaches lose their jobs, play callers being demoted … I don’t think it’s time to panic,” Whittingham said. “We’re a play away from 6-1 or 7-0.”

Whittingham is correct. Michigan is a few plays away from being undefeated. In the loss to Iowa, had they stopped the final play of the game, they would have gotten the win. Against Indiana, two missed field goals were the difference in the game. Still, it could have gone the other way. Michigan got lucky against Western Michigan to start the year, winning on a late Hail Mary. They also won by one score against Oklahoma and Penn State. While Michigan could be 7-0 or 6-1, they could also be 1-6.

The offense, led by Jason Beck, has scored over 20 points just twice this year. Once was against a dreadful UTEP team the third week ofthe season. The other was in a 21-18 win over Penn State. Had Michigan scored just 21 points in every game, they would be undefeated.

After the loss to Indiana, Whittingham took the blame for the loss, and specifically a third-and-goal call from the one in which Beck called for Tommy Carr to go out on a bootleg instead of running he ball. He was sacked on the play, and then Michigan missed the field goal on the way to the loss.

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“Everything falls on my shoulders,” Whittingham said postgame. “So whatever happens in the course of a game is on me. That was not a good football call. That was not a good call at that point in time. Do I have the ability to overrule? I can overrule anything in the whole program. Like I said, it circles back to me. But it was a very disappointing outcome and a call that I know Jason wishes he had back because it was really damaging.”

Michigan returns to the field on Saturday against Rutgers.