{
  "id": 19058834,
  "title": "Josh Pate Slams Kyle Whittingham’s Apathetic Reaction to Another Michigan Loss",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/josh-pate-slams-kyle-whittinghams-apathetic-reaction-to-another",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-09T01:16:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Newsweek",
    "slug": "newsweek",
    "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/sports/ncaa/josh-pate-slams-kyle-whittinghams-apathetic-reaction-to-another-michigan-loss-12684900"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Michigan's football team is struggling after a 15-6 loss to Michigan State. The Wolverines have now lost both rivalry games to Minnesota and Michigan State under head coach Kyle Whittingham's first season. With just three challenging matchups left, including games against Oregon, UCLA, or Ohio State, fans are hoping for more urgency from the team. In response to Saturday's loss, Whittingham stated, \"It's my job as a coach to rally them back up and get them ready to compete for these last three games,\" adding, \"I don't know, is there any more trophies in these last three games? I don't think there's any more trophies.\" However, Josh Pate, a college football pundit, felt that Whittingham's comments were dismissive of the team's rich traditions. Pate questioned the coach's $8 million salary, calling it unacceptable to not show genuine concern for the program's legacy. Whittingham has faced criticism before for his lack of vocal opposition to Ohio State, another issue highlighted by Pate. While Michigan acknowledged this season hasn't gone as hoped, the school announced on Sunday that they have fired offensive coordinator Jason Beck and appointed Jim Harding as the interim offensive coordinator for the remainder of the campaign.",
  "summary": "Josh Pate didn't appreciate head coach Kyle Whittingham's response to a question after Michigan's lost to Michigan State.",
  "key_points": [
    "Michigan football team lost 15-6 to Michigan State",
    "Head coach Kyle Whittingham dismissed his reaction as apathetic",
    "Pundit Josh Pate criticized Whittingham's $8 million salary"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Whittingham’s dismissive attitude toward rivalry losses threatens the program's cultural standards and invites scrutiny over whether his leadership justifies his high salary during this difficult season.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}