Photo: Getty Images
Utah Utes coach Kyle Whittingham has reportedly "emerged as the focus" of the University of Michigan's search for its next head football coach, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to ESPN's Dan Wetzel and Pete Thamel Friday (December 26) morning.
"Story for ESPN: Utah coach Kyle Whittingham has emerged as the focus of the Michigan coaching search, sources told @PeteThamel and me," Wetzel wrote on his X account.
Whittingham's candidacy is reportedly expected to be shared with top University of Michigan officials on Friday and a deal could be reached in the near future pending approval, the sources confirmed. The 66-year-old has gone 177-88 during 21 seasons in Utah, which includes an undefeated 13-0 regular season finish in 2008.
Whittingham announced his decision to step down from his position at Utah earlier this month with the Utes set to play in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on New Year's Eve, though he made it clear he wasn't retiring, joking that he, instead, was entering "the transfer portal." Michigan fired former head coach Sherrone Moore on December 10 after "credible evidence" showed he had an inappropriate relationship with a staff member hours before he was arrested for an incident at the staff member's apartment that same day and later charged with third-degree felony for home invasion and two misdemeanors.
Moore, 39, went 16-8 during his tenure as Michigan's head coach, which included a non-conference win against Bowling Green, as well as three wins against Penn State, Maryland and Ohio State credited to former head coach Jim Harbaugh during the 2023 national championship season when Moore served as acting head coach in Harbaugh's absence due to a suspension.
The former guard replaced Harbaugh when the latter accepted the head coaching position with the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers in 2024 and went 8-5 (5-4 Big Ten) during his first season and 7-3 (6-2 Big Ten) in 2025. Biff Poggi, 65, who had previously served as an interim when Moore served a self-imposed two-game suspension during the 2025 regular season, was named Michigan interim coach ahead of the team's Cheez-It Citrus Bowl game against the Texas Longhorns.