5 months ago
- Wolverines
- Published: Dec. 29, 2025, 7:43 p.m.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Individual meetings betwixt Kyle Whittingham and nan Michigan roster are underway, and 1 personnel of nan violative statement is already eager to return.
Sophomore violative lineman Jake Guarnera completed his one-on-one gathering pinch nan caller Michigan coach earlier Monday’s practice, and while he declined to dive into specifics, liked what he heard from Whittingham.
“I deliberation he’s great,” Guarnera, who made 10 starts astatine correct defender this year, said. “I’ve heard each awesome things. One of my buddies was a (defensive) endat Utah, and he told maine each awesome things astir coach Whittingham.”
The biggest trading point? Whittingham’s attraction connected discipline, an area he said was lacking astatine Michigan during nan 2025 season. Details were missed and issues overlooked, contributing to nan underwhelming 9-3 play that saw nan Wolverines miss retired connected qualifying for nan College Football Playoff.
Former coach Sherrone Moore was abruptly fired connected Dec. 10 aft schoolhouse officials wished he was engaged successful an inappropriate narration pinch a staffer.
Whittingham, 66, a longtime caput coach astatine Utah, was hired by Michigan connected Friday. During his introductory news convention 2 days later, he preached a civilization wherever “there is cipher supra nan team.”
“He’s conscionable going to bring backmost subject successful this program, and being focused connected a extremity of winning,” Guarnera said. “Let’s conscionable opportunity that we were doing things that were easy and simple.”
Guarnera added that issues permeated “on and disconnected nan field.”
Last week, interim coach Biff Poggi, tasked pinch trying to support nan squad together, said location was a constituent this play wherever nan Michigan players stopped having fun. He had problem pinpointing nan nonstop moment, but immoderate players look to echo those comments successful caller weeks.
Guarnera, while speaking pinch his friend astatine Utah, Ryker Kemp, said Whittingham runs a tight vessel that discourages anyone from getting retired of line.
“It’s either you get successful statement pinch nan squad aliases something’s going to person to change,” Guarnera said. “That’s thing that we need, and I’m excited for coach Whittingham to measurement up.”
As for adjacent year, nan 6-foot-4, 311-pound Guarnera is successful limbo arsenic to wherever he mightiness play on nan violative line. He was successful statement to perchance make a move to halfway nether Moore’s staff, but talks “haven’t gotten that acold pinch coach Whittingham.”
The existent Michigan coaching unit is bracing for changes after “brutally honest” conversations pinch Whittingham.
“He said he’s sewage to reappraisal nan movie and spot what he thinks,” Guarnera said. “I conscionable want to play and make an effect for this team.”
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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...
