College Football HQ

Major college football program ‘expected to hire’ 66-year-old head coach

Rowan Fisher Shotton|
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake (left) and Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham speak before a game at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake (left) and Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham speak before a game at Rice-Eccles Stadium. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

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Michigan WolverinesUtah Utes

Michigan finished the 2025 regular season 9–3 and entered postseason play ranked No. 18 in the AP Top 25, posting a 7–2 Big Ten record that kept them competitive but short of the conference crown.

The program’s off-field turmoil culminated in the December 10 firing of head coach Sherrone Moore; the school moved quickly to remove Moore “with cause” amid an investigation into alleged misconduct.

After weeks of speculation about who would replace Moore, the search appears to be over, as multiple outlets reported Friday that Michigan is set to hire longtime Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham.

Coverage indicates conversations between Whittingham’s representatives and Michigan leadership accelerated rapidly in the last 48 hours.

Whittingham (born Nov. 21, 1959; age 66) took over Utah’s program in 2005 after a decade as the Utes’ defensive coordinator.

His previous stops include defensive coordinator at Eastern Utah in 1987 and special teams/defensive coordinator at Idaho State from 1988–93.

Across a two-decade head coaching tenure, he became Utah’s winningest coach, compiling a 177–88 overall record and an 11–6 bowl mark, highlighted by an undefeated 2008 season, eight double-digit win seasons, and multiple conference titles (Mountain West, Pac-12). 

After two down years (8–5 in 2023, 5–7 in 2024), Utah rebounded under Whittingham in 2025, posting a 10–2 record with signature wins over No. 21 Arizona State and No. 17 Cincinnati.

Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham.
Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham looks on from the sidelines during the first half against the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Over the past two weeks, Michigan’s vacancy has generated a broad list of publicly discussed candidates, including Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer, Washington’s Jedd Fisch, Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham, and Louisville's Jeff Brohm.

Several of those candidates either declined, re-signed elsewhere, or were reported to be lower priorities as Michigan vetted veteran college and NFL coordinators. 

Whittingham offers Michigan stability, a track record of player development, and a physical Big Ten identity, with his long head-coaching tenure lowering execution risk amid a tight transfer-portal timeline and drawing internal and donor support.

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Rowan Fisher
ROWAN FISHER SHOTTON

Rowan Fisher-Shotton is a versatile journalist known for sharp analysis, player-driven storytelling, and quick-turn coverage across CFB, CBB, the NBA, WNBA, and NFL. A Wilfrid Laurier alum and lifelong athlete, he’s written for FanSided, Pro Football Network, Athlon Sports, and Newsweek, tackling every beat with both a reporter’s edge and a player’s eye.

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