Former Utah Coach Kyle Whittingham has become a leading figure in Michigan coaching search, sources confirmed to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz. Wattingham, 66, retired in December after 21 seasons leading the Utes, leaving the door open to continue his storied coaching career elsewhere.
In his more than three decades with the Utes, first as an assistant and then as head coach since 2005, Whittingham has cultivated a clean image and a winning program. Both factors will make him attractive to the Wolverines, who are looking to turn the page on a controversial era without taking a step back on the field.
Michigan is in full swing external review focused on treatment of Sherron Moorewho was fired on December 10 after evidence emerged that he had an inappropriate relationship with an employee. Moore, who was the program's offensive coordinator during Jim Harbaugh's controversial tenure, was subsequently charged with home invasion and harassment.
Whittingham's last team, Utah, finished 10-2 (7-2 Big 12) last season before the school announced Dec. 13 that he was resigning to make way for future head coach Morgan Sculley to take over. However, Whittingham still plans to coach the Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska on New Year's Eve.
Utah reached the Rose Bowl in both 2021 and 2022 under Whittingham after winning 11 games in 2019. Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and finished second in the AP poll.
Michigan Search Process
Moore's dismissal came after an early period of signing high school prospects and well before the transfer portal opened on Jan. 2, eliminating any need for the Wolverines to rush the recruiting process.
Although Michigan was a latecomer to the busy coaching carousel, the Wolverines have been the only Power Four school in the market for the past few weeks. Given the attractiveness of this vacancy as one of the best in the country, the list of names associated with the vacancy in one way or another was extensive.
Among them were Alabama's Kalen DeBoer, Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham and Louisville's Jeff Brohm. the promotion of interim coach Biff Poggi was also considered a potential option. if the Wolverines were struggling to find the right candidate. Poggi led Michigan as it prepared to play Texas in the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Eve.
Stabilizing force
Hiring Whittingham rather than promoting Poggi, also 66, would signal that Michigan is willing to accept a relatively short-term contract but wants to accomplish several things in the meantime. First, hiring one of the oldest and most successful active head coaches at the power four level shows that the Wolverines are serious about contending in the Big Ten and have no interest in taking a step back in competition while dealing with the wreckage of what Harbaugh and Moore left behind.
Poggi's promotion could be interpreted as a gesture of capitulation for the 2026 season after he went 6-16 as Charlotte's head coach in 2023 and 2024. Second, hiring Whittingham would show that the university intends to move on from its past. Poggi has worked twice under Harbaugh at Michigan, including one stint as the program's assistant coach in 2021 and 2022. Fairly or not, he is considered a product of that era.
So while Whittingham may not be a long-term solution, it is more than a stop-gap measure. He's a proven winner who can help the program turn the page on the chaos of the Harbaugh and Moore eras. With a fresh start, the program could begin to prepare to take on a big name at some point in the relatively near future.
Utah is dynamic
Hiring Whittingham could be an interesting tug-of-war for both staff and players between Michigan and Utah. What is certain is that Whittingham will be without Scully as defensive coordinator for the first time since the 2015 season.
When Sculley gets to work in Utah and puts his own spin on what's going on there, will he be able to fight back against the well-resourced Michigan program led by Whittingham? One of the main storylines to watch will be Whittingham's desire to recruit players from Utah's roster and coaching staff. It was always assumed that when the Whittingham-Scully trade happened in Utah, Whittingham would retire.
Instead, he got an even better job. If he tries to build a Wolverines program around Utah talent, it could create an awkward dynamic that was hard to imagine just a few weeks ago.
