5 months ago
- Wolverines
- Updated: Dec. 29, 2025, 6:01 a.m.
- Published: Dec. 29, 2025, 6:00 a.m.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Kyle Whittingham’s presence astatine Michigan is expected to person a seismic effect connected nan coaching staff, and nan caller caput coach is not shying distant from nan changes connected nan horizon.
During his introductory news convention connected Sunday, nan 66-year-old Whittingham said he’s already had “brutally honest” conversations pinch nan unit assembled by erstwhile coach Sherrone Moore. Moore was abruptly fired connected Dec. 10 for engaging successful an inappropriate narration pinch a staffer, prompting Michigan to look for a caller coach. They landed Whittingham connected Friday.
“They’re each knowledgeable coaches,” Whittingham said. “They each cognize nan deal. What really sucks is that you tin triumph 9 games, perchance 10, and beryllium retired of a job. That’s conscionable nan reality of nan profession.”
Whittingham, who spent nan past 21 seasons arsenic caput coach astatine Utah, plans to instal a new-look unit afloat of coaches he knows and has a erstwhile narration with. Utah violative coordinator Jason Beck is believed to beryllium nan frontrunner to go nan Wolverines’ violative coordinator, while BYU protect coordinator Jay Hill is reportedly readying to subordinate nan Michigan unit successful nan aforesaid capacity. Neither prosecute has been made charismatic yet.
“I can’t springiness you immoderate names conscionable yet,” Whittingham said. “Guys are still moving vessel games and playoffs.”
Before his firing, Moore had already dismissed typical teams coordinator JB Brown and replaced him pinch seasoned adjunct Kerry Coombs. Coombs’ statement position remains successful limbo because he signed a memorandum of understanding, not a fully-executed contract, pinch nan schoolhouse days earlier Moore’s termination.
More: Whittingham kicks disconnected marathon subordinate meetings pinch QB Bryce Underwood
Michigan besides saw its violative coordinator and quarterbacks coach Chip Lindsey depart for Missouri past week, forcing co-coordinator and tight ends coach Steve Casula into play-calling duties for Wednesday’s Citrus Bowl matchup against Texas (3 p.m., ABC).
That leaves Casula and nan remainder of nan unit successful limbo arsenic Whittingham useful to capable his staff.
“The first opportunity I had to speak to nan guys, I touched connected that subject,” Casula said. “It’s going to beryllium easy to deliberation astir what’s next. I stressed to deliberation astir what’s been champion astir their acquisition present and really blessed we are to beryllium here.”
Everyone connected Michigan’s unit has astatine slightest a twelvemonth near connected their existing contract, immoderate for immense sums of money. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is owed $2.7 cardinal successful 2026. Running backs coach Tony Alford has 2 much years left.
“The cardinal is to get guys successful that you trust, that you’re acquainted pinch and do things your way,” Whittingham said. “I cognize what I expect, what my expectations are, but astatine nan aforesaid clip I’m not precluding nan chance that we will support immoderate coaches from nan existent staff.”
In fact, Whittingham said, there’s a bully a chance “a fewer faces enactment complete and thief span that.”
“It’s overmuch easier to beryllium successful nan unit room and gathering and say, ‘I wonderment really they do this (here?)’ and you’ve sewage a feline that’s been there, done that. That’s a large help. I would expect that of nan 10 full-time coaches, 7 aliases 8 caller guys and 2 aliases 3 holdovers.”
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Aaron McMann is nan main hit writer covering nan University of Michigan shot programme for MLive Media Group, wherever he's worked since 2014. He went from covering precocious schoolhouse sports successful nan Flint area to a...
