After weeks of searching for Sherrone Moore’s replacement, the wait is finally over.
According to multiple reports on Friday afternoon, Warde Manuel and the Wolverines are turning to one of college football’s most respected veteran coaches, as former Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham is expected to be hired as the next head coach of Michigan Football.
Whittingham arrives in Ann Arbor after a long and successful run at Utah, where he spent two decades building the Utes into a nationally respected program in the Mountain West Conference, the Pac-12 and the Big 12. Known for having tough defenses and a physical style of play overall — along with program stability over the years — Whittingham consistently kept Utah in the national conversation despite not having the same amount of resources of a blue blood program.
During his tenure, Whittingham led Utah to a Mountain West title (2008), two Pac-12 championships (2021-22), nine AP Top-25 finishes (including three in the Top-10), and several appearances in major bowl games. Overall, Whittingham went 177-88 overall during his time at Utah, and 11-6 in bowl games.
Under his leadership, Utah earned a reputation for player development while regularly competing against more talent-rich programs. Some of the top Utah players that found success in the NFL include quarterback Alex Smith (first overall pick), safety Eric Weddle (second-round pick), tight end Dalton Kincaid (second-round pick), cornerback Jaylon Johnson (second-round pick) and many more. Overall, Whittingham has had 62 players taken in the NFL Draft.
Before becoming head coach in 2005, Whittingham served as Utah’s defensive coordinator from 1995-2004, while also coaching the defensive line (94), safeties (95-96, 98-2000) and linebackers (97, 2001-04). Before his time at Utah, he was a graduate assistant at BYU from 1985-86 before accepting his first full-time coaching job to be the defensive coordinator at Eastern Utah in 1987. He also coached at Idaho State from 1988-1993, starting off as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 1992.
After the mess that was the Sherrone Moore era, this is a step in the right direction for the program. Whittingham is a proven leader and has the ability to build and sustain winning cultures. His emphasis on physical football is also key, as that has been a Michigan football staple for years, so there shouldn’t be any worries about the identity of the on-field product changing too drastically, if at all.
Whittingham instantly becomes one of the most experienced head coaches in the Big Ten Conference and will be tasked with guiding the program through a new chapter in Ann Arbor — a chapter that is hopefully much cleaner and filled with less drama than the last one.
