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Kyle Whittingham is the next head coach of the Michigan Wolverines football program in a reported deal that comes just weeks after the team fired Sherrone Moore for what officials described as having an “inappropriate relationship” with an employee. Moore was later arrested.
Whittingham and Michigan agreed to a five-year contract, ESPN reported Friday.
He will take over for Biff Poggi, who was named the interim head coach after Moore was fired. Poggi argued to take over the job last week.
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Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham watches the team warm up before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Rice-Eccles Stadium on September 20, 2025. (Rob Gray/Imagn Images)
Whittingham becomes the fifth head coach since Lloyd Carr retired after the 2007 season.
He announced earlier this year that he would step down as head coach of the Utah Utes after 20 seasons at the helm. He expressed interest in continuing his coaching career and quickly became one of the handful of coaches who were possible Moore successors.
Whittingham, 66, served under Ron McBride and Urban Meyer at Utah. He had been with the program since 1994, when he first started as the defensive line coach. Michigan will be the second head-coaching stop for him. He is 177-88 all time.
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Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore leads her team onto the field prior to the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Nov. 29, 2025.
Michigan is considered one of the best football jobs in the country despite the scandals that have plagued the school in recent years. One of the biggest included a sign theft scandal that led to the suspension of Jim Harbaugh. Moore also served a suspension as part of the NCAA investigation that took place.
Through it all, Michigan won the national championship behind JJ McCarthy in 2023. The Wolverines were 15-0 that season — going undefeated for the first time since 1997 under Carr. The Wolverines also won the national championship that year.
Whittingham will be asked to right the ship that has rocked the past few weeks.
Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham (right) discusses a call with umpire Matt Mills during the second half of a game against the Utah Utes at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Oct. 18, 2025. (Rob Gray/Imagn Images)
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The Wolverines will play in the Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31 against the Texas Longhorns.
