Second time in a row Michigan had to hire a head coach at the wrong time. First, it was due to Jim Harbaugh's departure after winning the national championship. The Wolverines couldn't sign a player until Jan. 26, 2024, after Harbaugh left. NFL The program ultimately named offensive coordinator Sherron Moore as head coach.
Now, after Moore personal scandal Because of this, the Wolverines' athletic department was without a coach until December.
Michigan needed a stabilizing force to help restore respectability to the football program and athletic department. Hiring future Hall of Famer Kyle WhittinghamMichigan has found the perfect coach to guide them through this turbulent era.
Whittingham, 66, is one of the most successful coaches of our era. After Urban Meyer came to power in Utah in 2005, he helped them rise from the Mountain West to the top of the Power Five. Whittingham has a 177-88 career record, two Pac-12 titles and a Mountain West crown.
Michigan hires Kyle Whittingham as former longtime Utah coach named to lead Wolverines
David Cobb
Perhaps most importantly, Whittingham had an impeccable reputation during his distinguished career. His teams have few scandals and a strong team culture. He'll be a seasoned veteran at Michigan, in direct contrast to the shortcomings of the Moore era. And it will pay dividends in both the short and long term.
Whittingham helped Utah go from 5-7 to 10-2 this season by leading a tough offensive line. The defense remained an elite unit. The Utes just had the misfortune of playing two of the best teams in the conference – BYU And Texas Tech. If they had missed even one game, there is a good chance they would have made the College Football Playoff.
Now, at Michigan, Whittingham will have more resources to win than at any point in his storied career. The Wolverines were able to land their first overall recruit. Bryce Underwood to the program last year with a huge contract. Even after average seasons, Moore was able to put together back-to-back top 11 recruiting classes.
While Whittingham never recruited players at the most elite level, he helped the Utes reach the top 25 nationally. Even in his final class of 2026, Whittingham helped two newcomers crack the top 100. With funding from Michigan, he will be able to navigate deeper waters.
Whittingham is already talking to some of college football's top assistant coaches. Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck and BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill are Whittingham's targets in Ann Arbor, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Both would be groundbreaking additions to the Big Ten.
Moreover, Whittingham has sufficiently proven that the administrative issues swirling around Michigan will not matter. The university does not have a permanent president, and athletic director Ward Manuel is under fire after repeated scandals in the athletic department. What the same department also undergoes a serious external audit; Whittingham is a strong enough culture-setter that he is not distracted by noise.
Of course, renting Whittingham is a short-term solution. Although Whittingham, at 66, is more motivated to coach than he expected, few coaches in college football coach past age 70. Even now, Whittingham becomes the third-oldest coach in major college football, second only to Iowa Kirk Ferentz and North Carolina Bill Belichick.
In the off-season, Utah decided to withdraw from Whittingham by mutual agreement and appoint future coach Morgan Scully as head coach. Whittingham has hinted for years that he was close to retiring, with Scully first named as future coach back in 2019. Finally, after six years, Utah decided to pull the trigger. Eventually, Michigan may have to do the same.
However, three of Michigan's last four coaches failed to complete four full seasons. These three coaches combined for just one 10-win season. Three good seasons from Whittingham would be much more desirable than taking a chance with a worse coach and setting the program back.
And if you look back at the market, it turns out that there are few obvious prospects. Alabama Kalen DeBoer and Arizona Kenny Dillingham has publicly stated that he is returning. Louisville According to numerous reports, Jeff Brohm was not seriously involved in this process. Several others have signed long-term extensions, e.g. Vanderbilt BYU's Clark Lee and Kalani Sitake.
Michigan hired a Hall of Fame coach to help them transition into the next era of the program. Even if this is a short-term solution, it is ideal for now.
