The Michigan Wolverines won the national championship in 2023, ending the year a perfect 15-0. Since then, the school has experienced quite a bit of coaching turmoil. Former head coach Jim Harbaugh left to head to the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers. During the 2024 season, Michigan fired offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell as the team finished 8-5 and just 5-4 in the Big Ten.
This season, second-year coach Sherrone Moore was fired with cause after the university discovered "credible evidence" that he was having an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. Moore is also facing a possible felony charge for third-degree home invasion and two misdemeanor charges for stalking in a domestic relationship and breaking and entering.
The Wolverines have signed a new coach and are hoping they've put their coaching issues behind them. Michigan has hired Kyle Whittingham, the longtime head coach at Utah. Whittingham left the Utes earlier this month but made it clear that he wasn't retiring. He jokingly said instead he was entering the transfer portal—and his move is paying off.
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Whittingham and Michigan agreed to a five-year deal worth an average of $8.2 million per season, per Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel of ESPN. Whittingham's contract also includes 75% in guaranteed money, and he'll earn $8 million during the 2026 campaign.
It's an impressive raise for Whittingham. His contract with Utah, which was set to run through the 2027 season, was paying him about $5 million per year. A 60% pay increase is nothing to sneeze at.
The 66-year-old Whittingham has coached at Utah since 2004. Over 21 seasons, he went 177-88, an impressive 66.8% winning percentage. That includes a perfect 13-0 season in 2008 and Rose Bowl appearances in 2021 and 2022. The Utes finished 10-2 this year—one game better than the Wolverines—though Whittingham will not be coaching his former school in its bowl game.
Instead, he'll head to Florida to meet his new team ahead of the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on New Year's Eve. Michigan is facing off against Texas, with both teams looking to reach double-digit wins on the season. And Whittingham will look to build the foundation for a successful program in 2026 and beyond.
Read more: Kyle Whittingham Is Getting A Significant Pay Raise To Become Michigan's Head Coach
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