College football insider says this coach could win a national championship at Michigan

The search for a new football coach at the University of Michigan is on after the firing of ex-head coach Sherrone Moore during the middle of the week.

Michigan's admintration will have to move semi-quickly with the current roster in limbo and with the winter transfer portal period opening on Jan. 2, but it will also be important to make a calcuated hire to make sure the next coach is the right fit and is suited to be the face of one one college football's biggest brands.

Much discussion has taken place about who the Wolverines could target, but Steve Wiltfong, a national recruiting insider for Rivals/On3, mentioned on "Wiltfong's Whiparound" a current Big 12 coach who he believes could take the Wolverines to the top if Michigan brought him in.

Why Wiltfong believes Kenny Dillingham would be a good fit

On the episode, Wiltfong discussed various names the Wolverines could target, but honed in on Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham on someone who he believes would elevate Michigan toward the top of the sport.

"We've talked about him with some other job openings, but he is a very exciting, young coach with a high offensive mind IQ," Wiltfong said. "He's in tune with everything within his football program. He's a player's coach, pushes for support from the program in the modern era of recruiting. And I think if you put the block M on his golf shirt, he would become one of the top coaches in college football."

Wiltfong laid out the fact that Dillingham is currently coaching at his alma mater and that he very well might want to stay there, but also pointed out that if he were to leave, he will have left ASU in a better place.

"Now, he's at his alma mater, Arizona State—he's very happy, that's his hometown. So much family, so many connections to the city. But if he were to leave Arizona State right now, he would have left the Sun Devils program better than he found it. Took them to a conference championship, College Football Playoff last year. Had a lot of injuries at key positions this year, particularly at the quarterback position and still navigated it at a high level."

Wiltfong also mentioned that he has a strong belief that Dillingham would elevate the Wolverines' offense to one of the most dangerous attacks in the country led by Bryce Underwood under center.

"You put Kenny Dillingham at Michigan with a young Bryce Underwood, I think Michigan would be on track to have one of the best offenses in college football. I know the type of recruiter Kenny Dillingham is. He was a terrific recruiter as offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach—places like Florida State, Auburn, Oregon and certainly at Arizona State. And he takes on the identity of wherever he works.

Wiltfong ultimately said he believes Dillingham could help lead the Wolverines to another national title.

"(Michigan) won a national championship a couple years ago, winningest program, what Michigan offers on and off the field. Then in the modern era that Michigan can offer on and off the field. The alumni base—it's one of those special programs. But Kenny Dillingham is someone that I think could help Michigan win its next national championship."

"I think if you put the block 'M' on his golf shirt, he'd become one of the top coaches in college football."@SWiltfong_ says Kenny Dillingham is a coach that could win a championship at Michigan 〽️

▶️: https://t.co/CEVNpBJjsh pic.twitter.com/c9ByQXn2bN
— Josh Newberg (@josh_newberg) December 11, 2025

Dillingham's track record

The 35-year-old has made a rapid ascension in the ranks of college football.

He began his Division I coaching career at Arizona State as an offensive assistant at his alma mater in 2014 after graduating college in 2013 under then-ASU offensive coordinator Mike Norvell.

In 2016, Dillingham was hired at Memphis as a graduate assistant helping with the quarterbacks. In 17, he was named the official quarterbacks coach with the Tigers before being promoted ot offensive coordinator in 2018. In the 2017-18 seasons, Memphis had one of the best offenses in college football, and Dillingham was putting himself on the map as an elite recruiter.

In 2019, Dillingham was hired by Gus Malzahn to be the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Auburn . During his one season with the Tigers, his offense averaged over 33 points per game as Dillingham helped Bo Nix to his best season as a Tiger.

The following year, Dillingham joined Norvell at Florida State as the offensive coordiantor and quarterbacks coach before going to Oregon in 2021 to coach under Dan Lanning in the same role.

In November of 2022, Dillingham was hired at Arizona State as the head coach, where he has posted a 22-16 record in three seasons, including an 11-3 record in 2024.

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