Michigan nearing deal to hire Kyle Whittingham as head coach: Source

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan is nearing a deal to make former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham its next head coach, a source briefed on the process said.

Whittingham, 66, stepped down Dec. 12 after 21 seasons at Utah but made it known that he wasn’t done coaching. Michigan, which fired Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10, is looking for a coach who could stabilize the program and Whittingham, who was 177-88 at Utah with eight seasons of 10 wins or more, could fit the part. ESPN first reported the search was targeting Whittingham.

The second-longest-tenured coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision before he stepped down, Whittingham led Utah to back-to-back Pac-12 championships and Rose Bowl appearances in 2021 and 2022. The Utes slipped to 5-7 in 2024, their first losing season in more than a decade, but rebounded with a 10-2 season in 2025. He played at BYU, joined Utah’s staff in 1994 and was promoted to head coach in 2005 after the departure of Urban Meyer.

The next Michigan coach will be tasked with cleaning up a program that interim coach Biff Poggi described as a “malfunctioning organization.” Moore was fired Dec. 10 for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a female staff member and arrested later that night after allegedly confronting the staffer at her apartment. He faces charges of third-degree home invasion, stalking and breaking and entering.

Michigan also ran afoul of NCAA rules numerous times in recent years and faces an NCAA fine that could surpass $30 million as punishment for running an impermissible sign-stealing operation. At Utah, Whittingham was known for running a tough, disciplined program with minimal off-field drama. Whittingham also has no previous ties to Michigan, which would represent a clean break from the Jim Harbaugh era. His teams are known for hard-nosed defense and strong play in the trenches, which aligns with Michigan’s recent ethos.

Whittingham would inherit a talented roster that includes quarterback Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2025. Keeping that roster together could be a challenge. Late in his run at Utah, Whittingham acknowledged the ways that NIL and the transfer portal had made it more difficult to maintain the steady identity that defined the program for most of his tenure.

“It’s constantly in flux and I don’t want to say it’s like you’re hiring mercenaries every year, but it’s a situation where, again, you got to collect as much talent as quickly as you can and then hope it jells and comes together and you get results,” Whittingham said last year.

When Whittingham stepped down at Utah, he said he wasn’t sure what he would do next, but that “when you’ve got coaching in your blood, it just doesn’t go away.”

“It’s stepping down, step away, reevaluate things and see where we’re at. I’m a free agent. I’m in the transfer portal,” he said. “Like I said, I’m at peace. I did not want to be that guy that overstayed his welcome and people just say, ‘Hey, when’s this guy gonna leave?’ That was not my intention, ever. I hope I didn’t do that. I’m sure with some people I did do that, but to me, the timing is right.”

Michigan finished 9-3 this season and was 17-8 in two seasons with Moore as head coach. The Wolverines will face Texas in the Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31.

This story will be updated.