Nebraska Game a Personal Affair for Acting Michigan Coach Biff Poggi

By the time you're reading this, it's very likely Nebraska coach Matt Rhule and acting Michigan coach Biff Poggi have done something most coaches would never do during a week where their teams face off against each other — call each other for a friendly conversation.

Both coaches are working hard this week to beat each other on the football field come Saturday, but even a highly-contested game won't get in the way of the friendship Rhule and Poggi built long before this unexpected showdown on Saturday.

"When I was coach at Charlotte, the first day that I was in my seat there, the first phone call I got was from Matt Rhule welcoming me to Charlotte," Poggi said. "He was so kind, welcoming and helpful."

Biff Poggi was named the head coach of Charlotte in the fall of 2022. Shortly after, he received a call from then-Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Back in November of 2022, Poggi took over as head coach of the Charlotte 49ers, which was right in the heart of the city Rhule also called home as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. Rhule's time in Charlotte would be short-lived that year, as the Panthers fired him after a 1-4 start to the season, but it didn't stop Rhule from extending an olive branch to Poggi early on.

Poggi would go on to coach the 49ers for the 2023 and 2024 seasons before connecting with Michigan coach Sherrone Moore for a chance to come back and be a part of the Michigan coaching staff. At the time of deciding to come back, Poggi said he had no idea he would be thrust into a head coaching role for a few games while Moore serves a three-game suspension. Nonetheless, it's a third stint in Ann Arbor for Poggi, who served as an analyst for the Wolverines in 2016 and associate head coach of the 2021-22 teams.

Biff Poggi coaching Michigan — Michigan acting head coach Biff Poggi said his return to Ann Arbor felt like the right thing to do, and he's "home." | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

During his Monday press conference, Poggi joked that his return to Ann Arbor was simply due to "needing more Michigan in his life." He likened being a part of the coaching staff at UM to finding inner peace. He said it all feels right, and he's "home."

He won't be home on Saturday, though, but it might feel that way due to not only his connection with Rhule, but also Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. From 2017 to 2020, Poggi was the head coach of Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore, MD. In Poggi's first year at the helm, he landed a pretty marquee transfer — Dana's son Logan Holgorsen.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen before the 2025 Cincinnati game — Both Matt Rhule and Dana Holgorsen have personal connections to Michigan acting coach Biff Poggi. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

"It's interesting because I know so many guys on the staff," Poggi said. "I coached (Dana's) son for a bit at St. Frances. Ron Brown, Bill Busch, I mean, I know a bunch of the guys there, so it will be good to see them, but they've done a really good job with their team."

Poggi had plenty of praise for the team his Wolverines will be facing Saturday, but being able to catch up with so many familiar faces during pregame might come in as a close second behind a Michigan win.

"I have a great relationship with him," Poggi said of his relationship with Rhule. "I really like him. He's a very kind guy and a very giving guy and an excellent coach. Yeah, I know a bunch of guys there."

Kickoff between the Huskers and Wolverines is set for 2:30 p.m. CDT on CBS and Paramount Plus.

Nebraska Football 2025 Schedule

Aug. 28 Nebraska 20, Cincinnati 17
Sep. 6 Nebraska 68, Akron 0
Sep. 13 Nebraska 59, Houston Christian 7
Sep. 20 vs. Michigan 2:30 p.m. CBS
Oct. 4 vs. Michigan State 11/2:30/3
Oct. 11 at Maryland TBA
Oct. 17 (Friday) at Minnesota 7 p.m. FOX
Oct. 25 vs. Northwestern TBA
Nov. 1 vs. USC TBA
Nov. 8 at UCLA TBA
Nov. 22 at Penn State TBA
Nov. 28 (Black Friday) vs. Iowa 11 a.m. CBS

Home games are bolded. All times central.

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