Kyle Whittingham Named New Head Coach for Michigan Wolverines

Kyle Whittingham has been appointed as the new head coach of the Michigan Wolverines football team. This announcement comes just weeks after the university dismissed Sherone Moore due to what was described as an “inappropriate relationship” with a staff member, which ultimately led to Moore’s arrest.

Whittingham has signed a five-year contract with Michigan, as reported recently. He takes over from Biff Poggi, who had been serving as the interim head coach following Moore’s termination. Poggi had made a strong case for the position but has now passed the reins to Whittingham.

This now makes Whittingham the fifth head coach for the Wolverines since Lloyd Carr stepped down after the 2007 season. Earlier this year, he announced his intention to step back from his role with the Utah Utes after an impressive 20-year tenure. It seems he was keen to continue coaching and quickly emerged as a top candidate for the job at Michigan.

At 66 years old, Whittingham has a rich coaching history with the Utes, where he worked under notable figures like Ron McBride and Urban Meyer. He first joined the program in 1994 as a defensive line coach, and this role at Michigan will mark his second head coaching position, boasting an overall record of 177 wins to 88 losses.

Despite challenges in recent years—including a sign-stealing scandal that resulted in Jim Harbaugh’s suspension—the Michigan football program remains highly esteemed. The team secured a national championship in 2023, achieving a perfect season of 15-0 for the first time since 1997 under Carr.

Whittingham has been tasked with addressing the issues that the team has faced lately, and it will be interesting to see how he steers the program moving forward.

The Wolverines are set to face the Texas Longhorns in the Citrus Bowl on December 31st.