Biff Poggi delivers parting message to Michigan football as program enters new era

Poggi announced after the Citrus Bowl that he will not be a part of Kyle Whittingham's new staff

Dec 31, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines interim head coach Biff Poggi celebrates after a play against the Texas Longhorns during the first half at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Biff Poggi spent four full seasons with the Michigan football program and was named the interim head coach after Sherrone Moore's firing in mid-December.

Poggi prepared the team and coached in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Wednesday as the Wolverines fell by a score of 41-27 to the Texas Longhorns to end the 2025 season.

As Michigan now prepares for a new era with Kyle Whittingham being hired by the program last Friday, Poggi told reporters after the loss to Texas that Wednesday's game would be his last with Michigan football.

"This isn't a rebuild at at all," Poggi said of the program moving forward. "That would shortchange the kids, and coach Whittingham is going to do an amazing job here. He's gonna have a lot of really good players back, he's obviously going to bring players in. And again, he's a guy that's won 180 games. Been a head coach (21) years and he's won three conference championships. I think he's going to find a very full cupboard—a bunch of really willing kids that are just great kids.

"This isn't a rebuild at all."

Biff Poggi said Michigan's program is heading in a positive direction under Kyle Whittingham.

"He's going to have a lot of really good players back. He's obviously going to bring players in," he said. "He's going to find a very full cupboard." pic.twitter.com/Y7Uz36xvl2

— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) January 1, 2026

Poggi at Michigan

Poggi first joined former head coach Jim Harbaugh's staff as an analyst in 2016, then later came back to Harbaugh's program in 2021 and 2022 as the associate head coach. He left for a two-year stint to be the head coach at Charlotte for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, then returned to be the associate head coach under Moore this season.

After spending the 2016 season in Ann Arbor as an analyst, he founded the football program at Saint Frances Academy, a private high school in Baltimore. Saint Frances rose to national prominence under Poggi (2017-2020) and led the program to three state titles.

Sep 20, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Michigan Wolverines acting head coach Biff Poggi watches during the fourth quarter against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Poggi supported the program directly with financial resources, including the funding of 65 scholarships. Poggi found success as a hedge fund manager earlier in his life.

Prior to 2016, Poggi spent 19 seasons at the Gilman School in Baltimore, Maryland, where he was an assistant for eight seasons before being named head coach for his final 11 years. A program alumnus himself, Poggi helped guide the team to 13 Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference titles. Poggi finished his career there with a 135-43 record in his 11 seasons as the head man of the program.

Poggi interviewed for the head coaching job at Michigan after Moore's firing, saying he interviewed a couple of different times and had "multiple" conversations with leadership at U-M.

Ultimately, Whittingham was hired and has decided not t retain Poggi and have him a part of the new staff.

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