Kyle Whittingham introduced as Michigan football coach

ORLANDO, Fla. — Kyle Whittingham brought plenty of energy after four hours of sleep Sunday when he was introduced as Michigan’s football coach, saying it was one of five jobs that could get him out of a short retirement and not hesitating about joining a program amid cultural chaos.

And after 21 years as Utah’s coach, Whittingham, 66, has answered perhaps the most important question: Does he not like Ohio State or will he have to learn?

“I’m doing it now,” said Whittingham, who was defensive coordinator for two years at Utah under Urban Meyer, who later won a national title at Ohio State. “I’m on the right side of the deal now.”

Whittingham said he met with the Michigan players Saturday night and will be at the Citrus Bowl for Wednesday’s game against Texas to observe, evaluate and “try to stay on the sidelines.”

Biff Poggi was named interim head coach for the game against the 13th-ranked Longhorns.

Whittingham was the second-longest tenured Power Four coach behind Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz. The Utes had eight seasons of at least 10 wins and went 177-88 during his tenure.

He enters a Michigan program in disarray, most recently the Dec. 10 firing of coach Sherrone Moore due to an extramarital affair with a staff member. Moore was arrested later that day and charged with three felonies for breaking into the woman’s home and threatening to kill himself.

Michigan was also involved in a signal theft scandal in 2023 during its national title run that led to the football program being placed on probation, which athletic director Warde Manuel said will cost the department more than $30 million in penalties.

Matt Weiss, who previously shared offensive coordinator duties with Moore at Michigan, was accused of hacking into the computer accounts of thousands of college athletes to find intimate images. He was fired in January 2023.

That led Poggi, who was a candidate for the Michigan job, to say last week: “It’s been five years, let’s just say it’s a poorly functioning organization. I know the athletic director has made it very clear he doesn’t want this anymore.”

Whittingham, who left Utah on Dec. 12, said none of that affected his interest in Michigan when it called or led to questions during the interview process.

“I had no hesitation,” Whittingham said. “There are a few issues, missteps, that are sorted out. The key is that the players here are rock solid. None of these issues involve the players. To be fair, they continued to play. There was a lot of distraction. I have no doubt that everything will be handled properly.

“My culture is going to be with the players. I know the gist of what happened, a series of unfortunate events. But it didn’t really bother me. I’m focusing on training the team and everything else will be sorted out in due time.”

Manuel said “the last few weeks haven’t been easy” and he praised Michigan’s players for their cohesiveness. He said Whittingham had a history of running a program built on toughness, discipline and respect.

“I can’t tell you how many text messages I received about him after the selection was announced,” Manuel said. “Everyone – everyone – we spoke to started or ended their statements about him with his character.”

Whittingham met privately with quarterback Bryce Underwood and “listened a lot.” He said his top priority was retaining players at Michigan and that the recruiting class was signed earlier this month.

It was a stunning turnaround for Whittingham, a former BYU linebacker who was an assistant at BYU, Eastern Utah and Idaho State before heading to Utah in 1994.

He resigned after more than two decades as head coach – 18 with a winning record – saying he didn’t want to be that coach who stayed too long. Whittingham said he wasn’t done coaching because he felt he still had something left to give. But he didn’t expect Michigan.

“I wasn’t sure if I was finished or not. I knew there was a lot left in the tank,” he said. “You can count on one hand the number of schools I would listen to if they called me. Michigan was one of those schools.”

Whittingham built a program at Utah focused on defense and toughness, and he said the brand he brings “will be right in line with what Michigan is used to.”

“Physicality will be our calling card,” he said. “I believe in running the football. If you can win the line of scrimmage, you always have a chance. That will be the brand and identity of this football team: physicality, toughness and grit.”