The Michigan Wolverines’ search for a new coach has stayed hot, with several coaches being linked to the prestigious Big Ten job. One of the names strongly tied to the role is Alabama Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer, who has denied any interest in leaving Tuscaloosa.
How Does Alabama’s Win Impact Michigan’s Kalen DeBoer Push?
Despite DeBoer’s denials, reports have continued to connect him with a move to Ann Arbor. However, the mechanics of such a move took a hit when the No. 9 Crimson Tide beat the No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Friday evening.
During Friday’s segment of the “CBS Sports College Football” show, reporter Brandon Marcello broke down how much tougher it could be for the Wolverines to hire DeBoer after the Crimson Tide’s win against the Sooners.
“[Alabama’s win] certainly puts more pressure on Michigan if they want to pursue Kalen DeBoer.”@bmarcello reacts to No. 9 Alabama’s win over No. 8 Oklahoma. pic.twitter.com/POukkokg82
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) December 20, 2025
“He’s 4-0 in true road games against top-10 teams,” Marcello said. “I don’t know if it calms down the chatter of Michigan being interested in him, but it puts more pressure on Michigan and whether they wanna pursue Kalen DeBoer. Because now he’s gonna play in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.”
“The transfer portal opens on Jan. 2. So if you want DeBoer, you’re probably not gonna get him until Jan. 2-3. This win takes some pressure off him at Alabama. That window of that possibility of him going to Michigan, it makes it so much more of an issue for them to finally be able to reach out to him. With the calendar, it seems like a wasted opportunity.”
Despite some rocky moments as coach of the Crimson Tide, DeBoer has led them to the SEC championship game and the quarterfinal of the College Football Playoff in his second season.
Why Is Biff Poggi Getting Backing From a Michigan Captain?
Meanwhile, the conversation in Ann Arbor is not just about outside candidates. While speaking to reporters on Friday, Michigan captain and tight end Marlin Klein backed interim head coach Biff Poggi to be appointed to the position permanently.
“Who I want to see is Coach Poggi,” Klein said. “The reason for that is the person he is. He truly just cares about the people within the building, not just the coaches, not just the players, but really everybody. I mean, he cares about the janitor. He wants to make sure everybody’s doing good. He has a relationship to this place.
“He’s a Michigan man and he loves it here and everybody loves him. And I do believe that he’s the right person for this job. Like, I want to see him in that position because I do believe that he’s the best fit for the younger guys and, you know, the guys that are still in his locker room.”
Poggi was an analyst at Michigan in 2016 before leaving and returning to serve as an associate head coach under former coach Jim Harbaugh from 2021 to 2022. He came back for his third stint in Ann Arbor last year as an associate head coach under the recently fired Sherrone Moore.
