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Michigan Names Kyle Whittingham Head Coach on Five-Year Deal

The veteran Utah builder is being brought in to steady the program and move quickly on roster and recruiting decisions as the transfer portal window approaches.

Kyle Whittingham head coach of the Utah Utes talks into his headset during the second half of their game against the Brigham Young Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium on October 18, 2025 in Provo, Utah.
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Head coach Kyle Whittingham of the Utah Utes watches his team against the Utah Utes in the first half at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on November 28, 2025 in Lawrence, Kansas.

Overview

  • Michigan formally announced Kyle Whittingham as its 22nd head coach on Dec. 27, with athletic director Warde Manuel praising his character and leadership.
  • Whittingham, 66, departs Utah after the Dec. 31 Las Vegas Bowl and brings a 177-88 record over 21 seasons, having said he is not retiring.
  • It is not yet clear which, if any, Utah assistants will join him in Ann Arbor as staff decisions remain in flux.
  • The hire lands just before Michigan’s Citrus Bowl game against Texas and the Jan. 2 transfer-portal opening, creating immediate retention and recruiting priorities.
  • Analysts describe the move as stabilizing but possibly short-term given Whittingham’s age and recruiting profile, and it follows Sherrone Moore’s Dec. 10 firing and subsequent criminal charges.