Current Michigan coaches Kyle Whittingham should consider retaining

After Michigan football officially hired Kyle Whittingham on Friday, he has wasted no time getting to work as the longtime Utah coach will join the Wolverines in Orlando this weekend as the team prepares for the Citrus Bowl against Texas on Dec. 31.

Whittingham will have plenty on his plate ahead of the Jan. 2 transfer portal opening in terms of building relationships with players and working on retaining as much of the current roster as possible.

Additionally, Whittingham will have to work on putting together a staff around him to help with that player retention, but also a staff that will help the Wolverines be successful in the long run.

With BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill and Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck being reported as candidates to fill those same positions at Michigan, it looks as if the Wolverines are heading in a direction to have brand new coordinators on each side of the ball for the 2026 season.

But there are some position coaches who are still on staff who have played key roles in player development and on the recruiting trail. Here are the top coaches on the current Wolverines' staff that Whittingham should consider retaining.

Running backs coach Tony Alford

Alford is a coach that most Michigan fans would probably agree is vital to have around on Whittingham's staff.

Over the past two seasons, Kalel Mullings, Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall have thrived under his watch. This past recruiting cycle, Alford was able to land five-star back Savion Hiter, who he has a longstanding relationship with during Hiter's recruiting process.

The run game over the past two seasons has carried the Wolverines' offense when the passing game struggled, and Alford deserves a deal of credit for that.

A connection already exists between the Alford family and Whittingham, as the late Aaron Alford—Tony's brother, coached under Whittingham at Utah before his passing.

This is correct. The late Aaron Alford worked under Kyle Whittingham at Utah. https://t.co/CvBJPc80tj
— Clayton Sayfie (@CSayf23) December 26, 2025

Defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan

Since coming to Michigan in 2024, Morgan has guided a secondary that has battled some key injuries, yet has played to a generally high standard overall.

Since moving from safety to cornerback last season, Zeke Berry has come into his own and would be a valuable piece to have in the secondary next year with his talent and experience. Cornerback Jyaire Hill continues to have tremendous upside, but may end up entering the NFL Draft either way. Time will tell with that decision.

Michigan defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan reacts to a play against Oregon during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Beyond that, the Wolverines have some young players who stepped up to make plays this season and look to be an important part of Michigan's future if they stay with the Maize and Blue, including Mason Curtis, Jordan Young, Shamari Earls and Jayden Sanders.

The unit as a whole looks very promising and Morgan has done a great job of building relationships on the recruiting trail, which makes him a coach Whittingham may want to keep around.

Defensive line coach Lou Esposito

Esposito lost two generational interior linemen in Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant from the 2024 team. Although guys like that aren't easy to replace, the Wolverines more than held serve up front in 2025, ranking in the top 35 in the nation in sacks per game while being a top 15 team against the run.

Most importantly, Esposito has proven himself as one of the top recruiters in college football while putting together a fantastic class of 2026, led by five-star EDGE rusher Carter Meadows.

True freshman Nate Marshall was also a big get for Esposito during the prior recruiting cycle, as he looks to have a bright future ahead of him while playing some key snaps for the Wolverine defense in 2025.

Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito talks to players after a play against New Mexicoduring the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, August 30, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Esposito seems to have proven he has what it takes to both develop players along the defensive line and recruit at a high level.

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