Michigan has hired former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham as the 22nd head coach in program history, sources confirmed to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.. Whittingham (66 years old) resigned from his position in December after 21 seasons in which he led the Utes, leaving the door open to continue his legendary coaching career elsewhere. The deal, which was finalized Friday, is for five years with an average salary of $8.2 million over the contract, according to espn.
Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck is expected to follow Whittingham to Michigan to take the same position, while BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill is expected to be one of the interesting names to fill that role for the Wolverines under the new regime.
Over more than three decades with the Utes, first as an assistant and then as head coach since 2005, Whittingham developed a clean image and a winning program. Both factors would make him attractive to the Wolverines, who are seeking to turn the page on a scandal-filled era without stepping back from the field.
Michigan is in the middle The external review focused on her treatment of Sherwin-Moorewho was fired for cause on December 10 after evidence surfaced suggesting he was in an inappropriate relationship with an employee. Moore, who was the program’s offensive coordinator during Jim Harbaugh’s scandal-marred tenure, was later charged with felony home invasion and stalking.
Kyle Whittingham may be a short-term solution for Michigan, but he’s the perfect hire for this turbulent moment
Shehan Jayaraja
Whittingham’s last UT team finished 10-2 (7-2 Big 12) last season before the school announced on Dec. 13 that he would step down to make room for head coach-in-waiting Morgan Scully to begin his tenure. However, Whittingham is still scheduled to coach the Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska on New Year’s Eve. AP Poll.
Search process in michigan
Moore’s firing came after the early signing period for high school prospects and well before the transfer portal opened on Jan. 2, eliminating any need for the Wolverines to speed up the recruiting process.
Although Michigan was late in joining the crowded practice round, the Wolverines have been the only Power Four school in the market over the past two weeks. Given the job’s appeal as one of the best in the country, the list of names associated with the job in some capacity was strong.
They included Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer, Arizona’s Kenny Dillingham and Louisville’s Jeff Brohm. the Promotion of interim coach Bev Poggi also looms as a possible option If the Wolverines struggle to find a suitable candidate. Poggi has been leading Michigan as it prepares to play Texas in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
Stability strength
Hiring Whittingham rather than promoting Poggi, who is also 66, suggests Michigan State is okay with a relatively short-term appointment but wants to get a couple of things done in the meantime. First, landing one of the longest-tenured and most successful head coaches at the Power Four level shows that the Wolverines are serious about competing in the Big Ten and have no interest in falling behind competitively as they pick their way through the wreckage of what Harbaugh and Moore left behind.
Poje’s promotion could have been interpreted as a surrender gesture for the 2026 season after he served as Charlotte’s head coach in 2023 and 2024 from 6-16. Second, hiring Whittingham would show that the league is intent on moving on from its past. Poggi served two terms under Harbaugh at Michigan, including as the program’s associate head coach in 2021 and 2022. Fair or not, he is viewed as a product of that era.
So, while Whittingham may not be a long-term solution, it is more than just a temporary solution. He has proven his success and ability to help the program turn the page on the turmoil of the Harbaugh and Moore eras. As he clears everything up, the program could begin to prepare to launch into a huge name at some point in the relatively near future.
Utah is dynamic
Hiring Whittingham could create 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 his defensive coordinator for the first time since the 2015 season.
As Scully begins his tenure at Utah State and puts his own spin on things there, will he be able to fend off a well-resourced Michigan program led by Whittingham? One of the biggest storylines to keep an eye on will be Whittingham’s willingness to recruit from Utah’s roster and coaching staff. It was always assumed that when the move from Whittingham to Scalley occurred in Utah, Whittingham would retire.
Instead, he got a better job. If he tries to build the Wolverines’ program with Utah’s talent, it could lead to an awkward dynamic that would have been difficult to imagine just a few weeks ago.
Kyle Whittingham’s career success in numbers
Via CBS Sports Research
- Record 177-88 (.668) in 21 seasons as Utah’s full-time coach (2005-25)
- Most wins (177) by a head coach in Utah program history
- Tied as second longest active coach in FBS (behind Kirk Ferentz, 27 seasons)
- Eight seasons with 10+ wins
- Three conference titles (2008 Mountain West; 2021-22 Pac-12)
- Three-time Conference Coach of the Year (2008 Mountain West; 2019 and 2021 Pac-12)