Michigan arch-rival shares excitement in Kyle Whittingham coaching in Ann Arbor

Kyle Whittingham has a long history with a coach that has been a big rival of the Wolverines.

Michigan Athletics

Kyle Whittiingham coached Utah for 21 seasons and while he chose to step down, and contemplate retirement, Michigan came calling. Whittingham says he has 'plenty left in the tank' and signed a fresh five-year deal with Michigan, but he didn't make this choice all alone.

Of course, his family helped, but Whittingham's friend and advisor, Urban Meyer, also spoke to Whittingham about going to Ann Arbor.

"..I've had some good resources, you know, Rrban Meyer. I don’t know if that’s a four-letter word in this room or not, but Urban and me are very tight," Whittingham told the media on Sunday. "I got some counsel from him, he’s been a few places.."

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Whittingham revealed on Sunday that he recalled seeing Michigan and Ohio State squaring off and that was how he wanted to get involved in football. He would follow both Michigan and the Buckeyes and then coached at Utah under Urban Meyer as Meyer's defensive coordinator. Now, as a Michigan man, he will learn not to like the Buckeyes, but Whittingham says that Meyer was a help in getting this job.

"I do now, I guess, but, like I said, I followed them for quite a while," Whittingham said of Ohio State. "Me and Urban were on the same staff at Utah. I was his defensive coordinator. So there was a real tight bond there. I followed his career and obviously stayed in touch throughout the course of his career and he had great success there, but now I’m on the right side of the deal."

After the press conference ended, the media in Florida were able to ask Whittingham questions. Isaiah Hole of Wolverines Wire was one of the reporters there, and Whittingham said Meyer was excited that he got the Michigan job.

"He was excited, he was excited," Whittingham said. "He said it's a great place, great opportunity. And he just thought that, he was surprised, he was surprised, as was I. But, I have his full support, so it's good."

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