Michigan hired a winner — literally and figuratively in Kyle Whittingham, with whom the Wolverines reportedly finalized a five-year deal on Friday.
Most importantly, he’s a clean name, with no ties to the Jim Harbaugh regime, who can stabilize the program at a moment of great tumult.
“Someone better tell [Ohio State coach] Ryan Day there’s an actual ball coach at Michigan now,” an SEC assistant coach instructed me.
Whittingham brings greater than twenty years of teaching expertise to one of many greatest manufacturers and best-known applications within the sport. After succeeding City Meyer — who’s broadly considered top-of-the-line faculty soccer coaches of all-time — at Utah, Whittingham put collectively a powerful 21-year run as this system’s head coach.
Whereas Whittingham was touring Friday with the Utes to the Las Vegas Bowl, the place Utah performs in opposition to Nebraska on Dec. 31., he’s anticipated to hitch Michigan on the Citrus Bowl, the place the Wolverines will tackle Texas, additionally on New 12 months’s Eve.
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Final season, Whittingham capped off a 177-88 file in Salt Lake Metropolis with a 10-win season and a No. 15 rating. He’s proven he can win on the most important levels the game can supply, too. Alongside two Pac-12 Convention titles and one Mountain West Convention title, he led the Utes to a 2005 Fiesta Bowl win and, within the 2009 Sugar Bowl, a dominant 31-17 win in opposition to Nick Saban’s Alabama to cap an undefeated 2008-09 season.
Whittingham is without doubt one of the most highly-regarded head coaches within the sport and greater than prepared for the alternatives and challenges the Wolverines face.
“They fell into an ideal rent for his or her scenario,” an business supply instructed me.
Now, at 66, Whittingham will deliver that have to a Michigan program in turmoil following the shocking however crucial determination to fireplace former Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore. What’s subsequent are the three most essential motion objects on a listing of to-dos for the Wolverines and their new head coach.
1. Retain Michigan QB Bryce Underwood
(Photograph by Luke Hales/Getty Pictures)
This one hasn’t modified since I wrote about Michigan’s to-do listing again on Dec. 11. Since Moore’s firing for trigger, Underwood is a very powerful individual to retain in your complete Michigan program.
“If he enters the portal, that would put them again additional than dropping the pinnacle coach,” a Massive Ten assistant coach instructed me.
As a real freshman, Underwood accounted for greater than 2,500 complete yards, 14 touchdowns and eight giveaways via this season. Retaining QB1 in Ann Arbor, no matter who the subsequent head coach is, offers the Wolverines one of the best probability to compete for convention and nationwide championships in 2026.
Together with Underwood, working again Jordan Marshall, huge receiver Andrew Marsh, cornerback Jyaire Hill and offensive deal with Andrew Sprague loved breakout years for the Wolverines and, as core gamers, are anticipated to be integral to their success in 2026.
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2. Rent a workers that improves the roster instantly
(Photograph by Steven Branscombe/Getty Pictures)
Michigan is within the midst of a making an attempt time for itself, its followers and its alumni.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel moved swiftly to put in Biff Poggi as interim head coach, and one motive was to present the staff one of the best probability to remain intact whereas it recognized its subsequent everlasting head coach. Amid the teaching search, the No. 18 Wolverines are additionally making an attempt to complete this season with 10 wins and a victory in opposition to No. 13 Texas within the Citrus Bowl.
“In the event that they get via the bowl recreation, beat Texas and rent the fitting man, it’s one of the best save they will hope for,” a Massive Ten assistant coach not too long ago instructed me.
Since then, Poggi has been candid in regards to the dire scenario the Wolverines are in simply days earlier than this system’s recreation in opposition to the Longhorns.
“We despatched them house for Christmas [Monday], and I believe there’s a very good probability that we’re going to have many extra opt-outs for the sport sadly,” Poggi instructed a current episode of The Stampede, a Texas Longhorns podcast.
“As a result of we’re in such a state of flux, and after they get to this enterprise of it, they assume, ‘We don’t have a coach, we’ve had this example with our former coach, there’s investigations, all these items. I don’t know who’s going to teach me. Why do I need to play in that recreation?’ I can see a few of that taking place.”
Poggi revealed no Michigan gamers at present are in ongoing negotiations for agreements for the upcoming season.
“We’re not capable of give anyone a monetary settlement as a result of we don’t have a everlasting coach,” he mentioned on The Stampede.
That moratorium might want to come to an finish — quick. The Wolverines must not solely rent a normal supervisor to retain the present roster but in addition to hit the portal onerous when it opens from Jan. 2 to 16.
3. Layer your profitable traits excessive of the Wolverines
(Photograph by Chris Gardner/Getty Pictures)
The Wolverines rank No. 12 within the 2026 recruiting cycle within the On3 Trade Comparability, a composite of the three main recruiting providers. Gamers like five-star Savion Hiter, a two-time MaxPreps All-American tail again, are signed to this system.
Shifting to rent offensive coordinator at Utah Jason Beck will assist with that. Beck, who joined Utah final yr, vastly improved the Utes offense. Utah averaged the second-most factors (41.1) and yards per recreation (478.6) in 2025, and quarterback Devon Dampier threw for two,867 complete yards, 29 complete touchdowns and three simply 5 interceptions final season.
With Underwood at quarterback, Beck would have a passer in Ann Arbor with a comparable skillset to Dampier however who’s youthful and, arguably, extra proficient.
The offense, although, gained’t be constructed across the quarterback’s skill to throw the ball, however slightly the offense’s skill to run it. Whittingham’s groups have, like Michigan, prided themselves on being dominant within the trenches.
“I can say with confidence we ought to be one of the best offensive line since I have been on the College of Utah, which has been perpetually,” Whittingham mentioned final July at Massive 12 Media Days.
In 2025, Utah produced the Outland Trophy winner, awarded to the nation’s greatest inside lineman, in offensive deal with Spencer Fano, who expects to be a first-round choice within the 2026 NFL Draft. Given the assets that will likely be offered to him at Michigan, there’s no motive to imagine he can’t outdo his 2025 offensive line and produce the type of unit upfront that’s able to profitable the nationwide title.
RJ Younger is a nationwide faculty soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities. Comply with him @RJ_Young.
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