Former Utah Utes coach Kyle Whittingham was appointed the Michigan Wolverines coach in December after former coach Sherrone Moore’s controversial departure. Moore’s abrupt exit unsettled the program ahead of a crucial January transfer portal window that could have bled the Michigan roster.
Before taking the high-profile Big Ten job, Whittingham had stepped down just a month prior after 21 years as the coach of the Utes.
Charles Woodson Weighs In on Kyle Whittingham Hire
During Saturday’s segment of the “Rich Eisen Show,” former Michigan star Charles Woodson weighed in on his alma mater hiring Whittingham to take over from Moore.
“I think we did as good as we could have possibly done,” Woodson said. “Considering the situation we were in, bringing in a guy, I think that he’s gonna bring stability to Michigan. Did a great job at Utah for the years he was there. He kinda has an identity that people know him by. So, he’ll bring that to the table.
“But, he had to do three things. He had to retain players, which he did. He had to hit home runs in the portal, which he did. And then he had to get some guys to flip, and he was able to do that. As well as a fourth thing, he had to keep the quarterback. I was happy with the way things lined up.”
Whittingham signed a five-year contract worth $41 million with the Wolverines and aggressively hit the transfer portal to replenish the Wolverines’ roster that had finished the season with a 9-4 record. Most importantly, he managed to hold onto the services of talented quarterback Bryce Underwood for next season.
The new Michigan coach will be severely tested next season; despite a relatively manageable start to the season, games against the Oklahoma Sooners and the Iowa Hawkeyes in Ann Arbor serve as potential hiccups.
In their last seven games of the season, the Wolverines will face a gauntlet that includes games against the defending national champions, the Indiana Hoosiers, the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Oregon Ducks, and the annual rivalry game against the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbia.
Just two short seasons ago, the Wolverines were reigning national champions, before Jim Harbaugh departed for the NFL and Moore was elevated in his place. Michigan has now had three different coaches in the past three years, and Whittingham’s appointment will serve as a stabilizing factor in Ann Arbor as the Wolverines attempt to return to elite status.
