The Michigan Wolverines are know to have a stacked tight end (TE) room for the upcoming season. With the new offensive coordinator Jason Beck coming in, Wolverines' TE coach Freddie Whittingham also feels that locker room dynamics will shift.

During an episode of 'In The Trenches' podcast, Whittingham discussed how he could utilize the talented tight end room, along with other fullbacks with strong reception skills.

"I think the depth is strong. The two guys that are the fullback types, Jalen Hoffman and Eli Owens, both had great springs," Whittingham stated. "Both had a lot of production this spring..... then Zack was not able to practice, recovering from a shoulder surgery that he had in January, but Hogan Hansen came on really strong."

Kyle Whittingham's brother highlighted his evaluation of Michigan’s tight end and fullback group during spring practice in 2026. He discussed how Jalen Hoffman and Eli Owens evolving as productive fullback‑type players was also discernible.

Zack Marshall’s absence due to shoulder surgery was also brought up by the TE coach. During Sherrone Moore's tenure, the team took a more robust approach with their TE's. The Wolverines ran an old-school 12 personnel look with two tight ends on the field a lot.

"Play action pass is where the tight ends really eat within the passing game. So that, to me, is going to be kind of the core of what we do," Whittingham summarized.

According to Whittingham, Michigan’s passing game will be built around tight ends in play‑action concepts, not just wide receivers. This mirrors his Utah offenses, which consistently featured tight ends like Dalton Kincaid and Brant Kuithe.

Under Jason Beck, Michigan is supposed to play with 11 personnel compared to the 12 using just one tight end at a time on the field. Jason Beck can really make Freddie Whittingham's TEs shine with his offensive style.

Moreover, TE Zach Marshall gives an inside scoop of how Michigan's offense will look under Beck.

Zack Marshall Gives His Offseason Update Under Jason Beck's New Scheme

Zack Marshall is considered to be one of Michigan's most reliable tight ends, as his plays have given the Wolverines some great moments. He caught 16 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown last season.

Marshall is expected to be a star in Freddie Whittingham and Jason Beck's lineup. He also shared his view about the offense with Jon Jansen on his 'In The Trenches' podcast.

"Yeah, horizontal. Let's just, let's get the cat out of the bag. I think everyone knows this," Marshall stated. "If you watch Jason Beck's offense, right, it's like it's all about horizontal spacing."

Marshall said almost everyone knows how Beck’s passing game emphasizes stretching defenses side‑to‑side across the field. He claimed Beck does not rely solely on vertical deep shots.

"Everything's an R-P-O, everything has a second option, everything has a QB pull press," Marshall added. "Having that versatility going horizontal is so different than anything we've had before."

Beck’s offense has a built‑in run‑pass option, giving the quarterback freedom depending on the opponent's defensive alignment. This also offers Bryce Underwood contingency, as he can still pull the ball and throw if the defense collapses.

Therefore, there are options that Michigan can work with. As the number of TE's reduced to one now, Marshall will be expected to lead the way. His track record certainly makes him the right candidate for the upcoming season.

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Written by

Sourav Ganguly

Edited by

Rishab Nandi