Freddie Whittingham Explains How Michigan's Tight Ends Can 'Eat' in Jason Beck's Offense

Michigan fans are used to seeing multiple tight ends on the field, but Jason Beck will likely work things differently. But there is still a way TEs can succeed.

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Michigan has had strong tight end play for several years now. Production fell last year, but there were a variety of factors surrounding that. Starting tight end, Marlin Klein, suffered an injury and wasn't healthy all season, and the Michigan passing attack struggled at times with true freshman Bryce Underwood.

With both Jim Harbaugh and Sherrone Moore leading the charge, the Wolverines ran an old-school 12 personnel look with two tight ends on the field a lot.

And with Jason Beck coming in as the new offensive coordinator, that's likely going to change, and fans will see Michigan in more 11 personnel, using just one tight end at a time on the field.

Michigan didn't add any tight ends from the transfer portal, and coming out of spring, new tight end coach Freddie Whittingham is impressed with the talent he has at the position, noting he had three traditional tight ends in the room, along with two fullback types at tight end.

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"I think the depth is strong," Whittingham said to Jon Jansen on In The Trenches. "The two guys that are the fullback types, Jalen Hoffman and Eli Owens, both had great springs. Both had a lot of production this spring. Feeling good about where they are to be able to help out in their role, and then, you know, Zack was not able to practice recovering from a shoulder surgery that he had in January, but Hogan Hansen came on really strong.

"He showed himself to be a threat in the passing game, big target, good hands, goes up high, and gets the ball. And then Deakon Tonelli, also, he has some real physical traits. He can run. He’s athletic. He put some good tape out there, too. So, felt really good about the depth of the position."

Where tight ends can excel in Beck's offense

As of now, Zack Marshall is the tight end on the roster who played the best, most recently. He caught 16 passes for 199 yards and a score a year ago, serving as tight end No. 2. Hogan Hansen emerged on the scene in 2024 as a freshman and was arguably the best pass-catching tight end, but injuries hampered his 2025 season.

Those two should lead the way for Michigan this season, and Tonielli, along with true freshman Mason Bonner, could work their way into the rotation at some point. And Whittingham explained his group has to be able to block along the perimeter and turn six-to-seven yard passes into 10-12 yards with their ability to run after catch.

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But the way they are going to eat in Beck's offense is off the play-action pass.

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

Whittingham's goal for fall camp is getting his unit prepared to get open on the play-action and be physical at the top of the route. Fans will get to see the group back in action in Week 1 against Western Michigan.