Michigan Pronounces Hiring of Utah Legend Kyle Whittingham As New Head Coach

[ad_1] Michigan has discovered its subsequent head coach, because the Wolverines are hiring former Utah Utes coach Kyle Whittingham to a five-year deal, per Yahoo Sports activities and ESPN.

Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel later confirmed the transfer in a press release asserting the rent of Whittingham as the varsity's twenty second head soccer coach.

"Kyle Whittingham is a well-respected and extremely profitable head coach who's well known as a frontrunner of remarkable character and principled management," Manuel mentioned Friday. "All through our search, he constantly demonstrated the qualities we worth at Michigan: imaginative and prescient, resilience, and the flexibility to construct and maintain championship-caliber groups. Kyle brings not solely a confirmed observe file of success, but in addition a dedication to making a program rooted in toughness, physicality, self-discipline and respect -- the place student-athletes and coaches characterize the college with distinction each on and off the sphere. We're excited to welcome Kyle to the College of Michigan household as he takes the helm of our soccer program."

The brand new pact is 75% assured and contains a mean of $8.2 million per yr, with Whittingham anticipated to make an $8 million wage in 2026, in keeping with ESPN.

Whittingham introduced earlier this month his plans to step down after Utah's bow sport vs. Nebraska – the Las Vegas Bowl is about for Dec. 31 – following his multi-decade tenure with this system. However he joked on the time that he wasn't retiring and as an alternative merely getting into the switch portal. With the precise switch portal opening up on Jan. 2 and Michigan nonetheless with out a head coach, the timing of the hiring labored out for each events.

Whittingham might be leaving Utah to be on the Citrus Bowl, the place Michigan will play in opposition to Texas, in keeping with FOX Sports activities' Bruce Feldman.

[What's Next: 3 Priorities for Kyle Whittingham, Reportedly Michigan's New Coach]

"I'm grateful to our administration, workers, gamers, and coaches for his or her dedication, belief, and laborious work all through the years," he wrote in a press release. "This college and soccer program imply an ideal deal to me, and I'm pleased with what we've constructed collectively. I recognize the help from the College of Utah permitting me to step away at the moment.

I additionally need to thank our followers. Your loyalty, ardour, and help have been second to none. Whether or not at Rice-Eccles Stadium or representing Utah throughout the nation, you've got made this time particular and created recollections that can final a lifetime.

Utah will at all times maintain a particular place in my coronary heart, and I want Coach [Morgan] Scalley and this system a clean transition and continued success transferring ahead. Thanks for all the pieces."

The 66-year-old Whittingham started his teaching profession as a graduate assistant at BYU in 1985 after enjoying as a linebacker in school for BYU earlier than a quick cease within the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams in 1987. He additionally performed in the USA Soccer League and Canadian Soccer League earlier than devoting himself fully to teaching. He served because the defensive coordinator for Japanese Utah, the particular groups and linebackers coach for Idaho State earlier than changing into the defensive coordinator in 1992. He then joined Utah's teaching workers because the line of defense coach in 1994 and moved on to defensive coordinator earlier than changing into the top coach in 2005.

Whittingham has a 177-88 lifetime file within the NCAA, and the Utes have been 11-6 in bowl video games throughout his time main them. He introduced Utah the Mountain West Convention championship in 2008, back-to-back Pac-12 championships in 2021 and 2022 and 4 Pac-12 division championships in 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2021. Whittingham acquired Coach of the Yr honors in each the Mountain West and the Pac-12 and is the all-time chief in wins for Utah.

Utah's athletic director Mark Harlan later praised Whittingham's run and acknowledged this system is "absolutely ready" to transition to Morgan Scalley, who was promoted on Dec. 13 after 10 seasons as defensive coordinator.

"The College of Utah is grateful for Coach Whittingham's unbelievable contributions over his lengthy tenure on the college, and we want him and his household all the most effective with this subsequent step in his profession. After discussions with Coach Whittingham, his representatives and the College of Michigan, we've granted their request to permit him to hitch the Michigan program instantly.

Morgan Scalley is absolutely ready to take over management of the Utah soccer program, and we be part of him in conserving our give attention to our group, and supporting our student-athletes by this closing sport of the 2025 season on the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31."

"Kyle Whittingham is precisely what Michigan wants as a program proper now," FOX Sports activities Faculty Soccer Analyst Robert Griffin III posted to X in reponse to the information. "Runs a disciplined program with an edge to it. Is a protection first coach who will play complimentary soccer. Desperate to show he isn’t executed profitable. Seems like what Michigan itself wants."

The Wolverines – who've had 9 completely different head coaches, together with interim coaches throughout Whittingham's tenure with Utah – had been focusing on Whittingham absolutely due to his continued success with Utah, whether or not within the Mountain West, Pac-12 or Large 12. There's additionally his capability to construct Utah into a robust program, regardless of a scarcity of relative sources in contrast with larger soccer colleges, just like the one he is now taking on.

Michigan's earlier coach, Sherrone Moore, was fired for trigger on Dec. 10 following an investigation about an inappropriate relationship with a workers member. Following his firing, Moore was charged with three crimes, together with house invasion.

"U-M head soccer coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with trigger, efficient instantly," Manuel mentioned in a press release. "Following a College investigation, credible proof was discovered that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a workers member. This conduct constitutes a transparent violation of College coverage, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such habits."

Moore, who was in his second season with Michigan, was suspended for 2 video games in 2025 as a part of self-imposed sanctions for NCAA violations associated to a sophisticated scouting scandal. The NCAA added a 3rd sport to the suspension, which was to maintain Moore off the sideline for subsequent yr’s opener in opposition to Western Michigan. Moore beforehand deleted his total 52-message textual content thread on his private telephone with former staffer Connor Stallions, who led the group’s sign-stealing operation for this system. The texts have been later recovered and shared with the NCAA.

The Related Press contributed to this report.

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