After a tumultuous and troubling scandal involving former head coach Sherrone Moore, the Michigan football program might have knocked the search for his replacement out of the park. The Wolverines lured longtime Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham, who recently resigned after 21 years in charge of the Utes, to Ann Arbor. When discussing why he decided to take over the Michigan football team with ESPN, Whittingham admitted a “top-five” job was the only thing to lure him back to the sidelines.
“I still got plenty of juice left in the tank and feel energetic,” Whittingham stated in Thursday's interview. “And you know, Michigan is, you know, a top-five job in my opinion. There’s no question it’s a top-five job. And at the place I was in my career when I stepped down at Utah, it would have taken a top-five job to lure me back into it.”
After winning their first College Football Playoff (CFP) national championship following the 2023 season, head coach Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers. His replacement, Moore, had two inconsistent seasons at the helm before being fired after a scandal rocked the Michigan football program. Whittingham was likely the best choice left on the market for the Wolverines. Can the new head coach guide them back towards the CFP starting next season?
Michigan football looks to return to the CFP under Kyle Whittingham
A 9-3 regular season and No.18 ranking allowed the Michigan football team to clinch a spot in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against Texas in Wednesday. Although the Wolverines lost 41-27 to the SEC giants, it's clear that there is still a ton of talent on Michigan's roster. With Whittingham quickly assembling his coaching staff, the next step is keeping the Wolverines' nucleus intact.
That includes former five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, who had an inconsistent yet promising freshman season. With new offensive coordinator Jason Beck joining Whittingham in Ann Arbor, the Michigan football program will likely have its best offensive play caller in quite some time. Now at the helm of a “top-five” program, it's up to Willingham and the new staff to bring the Michigan football team back to the promised land.
