Biff Poggi’s comments on Texas podcast raise concerns about Michigan roster retention

Interim head coach Biff Poggi is currently leading the charge for Michigan heading into the Citrus Bowl against Texas. Poggi hopes to get the permanent head coaching job, but the Wolverines' search is well underway and Michigan isn't doing much to reveal its hand.

On Tuesday, Poggi went on to The Stampede, a podcast hosted by Bob Ballou, Mack Brown, and Vince Young for Texas fans. He told the trio that he loves being the interim head coach, but knows that it's a long shot to become the 22nd head coach of Michigan.

“I love it. You know, I'm -- quite frankly, probably a real long shot on it. I think there's a lot of really big names around that Michigan's talking to, at least in the press," Poggi told Ballou, Young, and Brown.

"Really my focus right now is on these kids. They're going through something that they didn't sign up for. None of us signed up for and I'm just -- right now I'm just focusing on them and that's the God's honest truth of the best as I can tell it to you.”

Poggi calling for more opt-outs than anticipated

Michigan edge Derrick Moore — Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Then the question was asked about bowl opt-outs. Coach Brown experienced plenty in his days coaching North Carolina, and was wondering how opt-outs were affected by the uncertainty in Ann Arbor.

On Monday, Poggi told the local media that he thought there would only be three players opting out -- Derrick Moore, Jaishawn Barham, and Giovanni El-Hadi -- but one day later, on Tuesday, when this podcast was recorded -- Poggi's tone completely changed.

"...And so, look, two of our guys that are opting out are great players. No. 1, No. 8, I mean, great players. I coach both of them at St. Francis," said Poggi.

“But I understand. Here's what I don't want to do. I don't want to be the guy that talks them into it. And then something happens, right? So I just have resigned myself that is possibly going to happen. And it's happening with those guys for sure.

“But also, coach, I have to tell you with what's going on with those here now, we sent them home for Christmas yesterday. And, you know, I think there's a really good chance that we're going to have many more opt-outs for the game, unfortunately. Because we're in such a state of flux.

"And when they get to this business, the business side of it, they think, well, we don't have a coach, you know, or we've had this situation with our former coach. You know, there's investigations and, all these things. I don't know who's going to coach me.

"Why do I want to get, you know, playing that game? And so I can see some of that happening too. And I would tell you on the 26th, we're probably going to have a significantly different roster than we had yesterday when we sent them home.”

The affect on the coaching side of things

Michigan OC Chip Lindsey — Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The uncertainty in Ann Arbor isn't only affecting the players. Michigan has lost a few coaches since Sherrone Moore's firing and the staff in Ann Arbor has no idea what's next. In fact, Chip Lindsey landed with Missouri after just one season as the offensive coordinator in Michigan.

Poggi told The Stampede that he has to shuffle the deck and is pulling coaches from out of the closet in order to have an operation for the Citrus Bowl.

“And it's, it's interesting because it's starting to creep into the coaching world too. So, we lose an offensive coordinator. I don't blame him," Poggi said of Lindsey leaving.

"He's got a family to take care of. There's so much uncertainty here, and he gets a very good job in the SEC. But then we lost two offensive line coaches.

"We're going to pull, actually -- we're like, we're pulling guys out of the closet to -- just so we can function. You know, we're having guys that we're sitting behind a computer drawing cards are now going to be playing important roles, you know, upstairs in the box and giving information to our offensive line coach who's down on the field. It is -- look, listen, it's been like something I've never experienced.”

25 guys might not be back

Michigan coach Biff Poggi — Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There wasn't a ton of people picking Michigan to beat Texas, a team that could have been in the College Football Playoff, but Poggi says the Wolverines will be at the game, but with how many players is the question.

While Poggi maintains the sentiment that Michigan will arrive and play hard, he also thinks there could be an upward of 25 players who don't come back after Christmas break and won't be at the game.

“And I will tell you this, we have not talked about, obviously we talk all the time about Texas and the personnel and what they do and how -- all that for them," Poggi said. "But we're being very careful about putting any goals around this thing that could wind up being a further disappointment to the kids we have. And, and, and that could be viewed as wrong, but I just feel, having my hands on the pulse, that right now what they need is to enjoy the game of football again.

"And we will play hard, we're coming, we will play hard. I don't know how many will come with, quite frankly, and I don't know how well we'll play, but we'll play hard. And, and, and I want them to be able to say the rest of their lives, we went, we played really hard against a great opponent, and, and, and, and we gave it our all.

“And when lesser men would have maybe not, and, and probably will not be there on, on the 31st. So, you know, I'm thinking, honestly, there could be 25 guys, you know, possibly not come back.”

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