Michigan TE Zack Marshall apologizes after leaked texts rip Jason Beck's offense

Zack Marshall issued a public apology Tuesday on social media for inappropriate comments made after Saturday's loss to Minnesota, according to www.cbssports.com.

"Last weekend, in the hours after we lost, I made some inappropriate comments that I regret," Marshall posted. "The game is won and lost as a team, and I pointed fingers instead of taking accountability. I let my frustrations speak for me in an emotional moment. I apologize to my teammates and coaches for the unnecessary drama that this has caused."

The apology follows an alleged leaked text in which Marshall wrote that offensive coordinator Jason Beck "had a meeting with all the [tight ends] and told us none of us are valuable to this offense." The text has not been confirmed verbatim by the team or Marshall.

A Michigan spokesperson told ESPN that the coaching staff is aware of the situation and has met with Marshall about his choice of words.

The leak lands at a delicate moment for the Wolverines, who are 3-2 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play under first-year coach Kyle Whittingham. Marshall, a senior, is still searching for his first catch of the season.

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE FIELD

The frustration spilled onto the field Saturday in Minneapolis, where Michigan fell to Minnesota in a mistake-filled game, according to www.cbssports.com. It was the Wolverines' second straight Big Ten loss, and the offensive output has been painfully consistent in both: 19 points and 14 points, per the source.

The numbers tell only part of the story. Coach Kyle Whittingham, in his first year leading the Wolverines, did not sugarcoat the performance Tuesday.

"Obviously, we had many offensive woes in this past game," Whittingham said. "We were not nearly as productive as we needed to be, really, at anything. Didn't run the ball well enough, didn't throw it well enough, weren't good on third down, didn't protect the quarterback like we needed to. We turned it over. Just a myriad of issues that we gotta deal with."

The deeper concern for Whittingham is the trajectory. His offense had shown steady improvement week over week — until last Saturday.

"We had really taken a step forward each week with the offense up until last week, and we regressed," Whittingham said. "And so we've got our work cut out for us."