Sherrone Moore was unceremoniously fired on Dec. 10, meaning it’s been more than two weeks since his dismissal. In that time, the coaching search has twisted and turned multiple times with Kalen DeBoer, Kenny Dillingham, Jedd Fisch and Jeff Brohm all being the favorite to land the job at one time or another.
Now in week three of the search, is there an end in sight, or is Michigan doomed to have this drag out into the transfer portal period?
For context, the transfer portal is open from Jan. 2-16.
The wide-ranging sentiment is the Wolverines must have a coach in place by then in order to prevent a mass exodus of players currently in the program. Through two weeks, it doesn’t appear the Michigan athletic department feels that same sense of urgency.
However, there’s no rule that states Michigan must have a coach in place by then They could certainly make the choice to wait until the coach they have in mind is ready to talk. Waiting until January would certainly be disastrous for the 2026 season, as the new coach would have minuscule amounts of time to piece together a roster. However, it could set the program up for success in 2027 and beyond depending on who the hire is.
I am still in the camp that Michigan must hire a head coach by the end of December. The 2025 Wolverines were the youngest team in the Big Ten, and should they retain most of the roster, they could be onto something next year. However, the longer the program waits to make a hire, the less likely the roster stays intact. December ends next Wednesday and Michigan doesn’t seem abundantly close to making a hire based on all the recent reports.
When do you think the coaching search will reach its conclusion? Will Warde Manuel make a hire before the portal opens? Will he wait and risk destroying the 2026 season before spring ball even starts? Beyond that, who do you want the Wolverines to hire? Are you willing to wait for a potential CFP participant?
Let us know your thoughts on the timeline and it’s importance in the comments below.
