Michigan head football coach Kyle Whittingham joined Jon Jansen on “In the Trenches” this week as spring practices gets underway. The Wolverines will have more than a dozen practices ahead of the spring game on April 18. After a wild offseason, Whittingham finally has a chance to step on the field with his players.
Here’s a summary of what he had to say:
On his fingerprint on the program
“It’s very similar to coach Schembechler. I grew up watching him.” For anyone hoping for the days of Bo, you’ll love what Whittingham had to say about
his fingerprint on the program. He mentioned reading “Bo’s Lasting Lessons,” and that there are more similarities than differences between the program Schembechler ran and what he tries to do. He knows the tradition and the history and intends to keep those things in place.
On his first few months in Ann Arbor
We’ve heard a lot from Whittingham and know the first few weeks were very busy. He had to make pitches to players on the team and in the transfer portal to help get the roster set. He thinks that they have a really good group of players heading into the fall. From there, they’ve been working with players in the weight room. Whittingham called strength coach Doug Elisaia one of the best in the country, and that the team is making gains in the weight room. He told Jansen that the team’s strength numbers are way up.
On his coaching staff
Jansen asked Whittingham about his thoughts when it came to building his staff in Ann Arbor. Whittingham actually led off by complimenting the former coaching staff, but made it clear he wanted to bring his guys with him. He focused on surrounding himself with people he trusts. Many of them came from Utah, but he did retain running backs coach Tony Alford and special teams coordinator Kerry Combs. He wanted to make sure the coaching group is comfortable with each other.
On staying in college football
Whittingham shared that coaching in college is about developing the entire person, not just football players. His father was a coach in the NFL and Whittingham says there aren’t as many opportunities to develop players on the personal level when you’re coaching professionals. He enjoys that the players at the college level are receptive to different teachings. While college football is continuing to change, he said there’s still an ability to impact the lives of his players for the better.
On what he’s looking for from his players this spring
Whittingham said they’ve got a lot of stuff they’re trying to accomplish this spring. Players and coaches are still getting to know each other. They’re working on making sure everyone is familiar with the new schemes. While Whittingham had to make quick work of the transfer portal, the roster turnover is a natural part of college football in recent years. He also said there’s some responsibility from the returning players to help the incoming guys to learn how things are done; he wants to make sure the players lead the team.
On what it’s like to be at practice
Whittingham says he has a lot of fun at practice. Whittingham told Jansen it’s nice to walk around and evaluate everyone and see where the team is at and give his input. He doesn’t try to take over from the position coaches, but he wants to be on the field and in the environment. Whittingham says while he’s pulled in a lot of different directions as the head coach, he wants to make the most of any opportunity he has to be on the field.
On the captains for the spring
When it comes to the captains, Whittingham said he thought the team did a nice job selecting the leaders on the team. QB Bryce Underwood, RB Jordan Marshall, DB Rod Moore, and DL Trey Pierce. Whittingham said it was very apparent in a short period of time that the team new what it was doing when it named those four team captains this spring. Whittingham called out Marshall and say he is exceptional and sets a great example. He wants the leaders on the team to work harder than anyone else, to raise the bar for the rest of the roster.
On QB Bryce Underwood
Whittingham said quarterback Bryce Underwood’s ceiling is “way up there,” and that he knows the sky is the limit with his quarterback. Whittingham worked to get Underwood the resources he needs to improve, and that includes a designated quarterback coach and an offensive coordinator who has a lot of experience working with the positions. He didn’t expand on the work Underwood needs to “refine,” but he did say they’ve been working on things this winter and will continue that work.
On what they’ll learn about the roster
Whittingham said even though the roster is always a work in progress, they’ll have a pretty good idea coming out of the spring of what they have to work with. He expects they’ll have about 80 percent of the roster set coming out of spring ball. They do have about 10-12 players who will join the team after the spring, so they’ve already got their guys on campus.
On the future of spring games
While the program will have a spring game this season, Whittingham did say that as they move to fewer players because of NCAA roster changes, the spring game might become a thing of the past. Rosters will hover around 105 players in the next few years, and he says the numbers just don’t add up to continue having a spring game.
What’s stood out to you as spring practice gets underway? What questions do you want answered about this team? Let us know in the comments below!
