Michigan’s hiring of Kyle Whittingham as the school’s new head football coach has the former Utah Utes coach changing his New Year’s Eve bowl game plans quickly.
Whittingham could have coached Utah one last time at the Las Vegas Bowl after he stepped down, but he instead will be present for the Wolverines’ appearance in the Citrus Bowl on the same day at more or less the same time. The Utes kick off against Nebraska at 1 p.m. EST, and the No. 18 Wolverines kick off against No. 13 Texas at 1:30 p.m. EST in Orlando.
Wolverines interim head coach Bliff Poggi will still coach the team against the Longhorns, but Whittingham will get a firsthand look at the team he’s inheriting. Michigan fired former head coach Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10 after “credible evidence” of an illicit relationship with a Michigan staff member, according to the university’s investigation. Moore was later arrested and charged with breaking and entering, home invasion, and stalking.
Whittingham has agreed to a five-year contract, according to multiple media reports, and he takes over a program that won the national title in the 2023 season. He had a successful run with the Utes for 21 years, and his departure before the Michigan news looked like a potential retirement at age 66.
“Like I said, I’m at peace. I did not want to be that guy that overstayed his welcome and people just saying, ‘Hey, when’s this guy gonna leave?’ That was not my intention ever, and I hope I didn’t do that. I’m sure with some people I did do that, but to me, the timing is right,” Whittingham added.
Michigan made the most of the timing and will have a proven head coach ready to lure in new players via the transfer portal, which opens on Jan. 2. Whittingham had a 177–88 record with the Utes, including a 13–0 record in 2008.
His presence with the Wolverines in Orlando could help jumpstart things for 2026 with a program in transition, which could impact current players’ futures. Poggi has acknowledged the uncertainty.
“Because we’re in such a state of flux, and when they get to this business of it, they think, ‘We don’t have a coach, we’ve had this situation with our former coach, there’s investigations, all these things. I don’t know who’s going to coach me. Why do I want to play in that game?’ I can see some of that happening.”
Whittingham’s priorities will likely include freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, who threw for 2,229 yards and nine touchdowns, plus 323 yards rushing and five scores this season. A five-star recruit, Underwood could lead the Wolverines to another national title in the coming years instead of wearing another college’s uniform.
Underwood can count on strong offensive line play, a trait that Whittingham’s Utes teams were known for. Utah was also known for strong defensive line play under Whittingham, which will bode well for the Wolverines’ defense.
Whittingham will begin forming his new staff, and it’s possible Utes assistants could follow him to Ann Arbor, Michigan. That includes Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck, who helped the Utes score 41.1 points per game and rack up 478.6 yards per contest this season.
Whittingham will also have to up his recruiting game, as he rarely had a top-25 recruiting class at Utah. That said, he’s taking over the winningest program in college football history—a brand that carries a lot of weight in the national landscape.
