Kyle Whittingham, one of college football’s most respected long-term coaches, has suddenly found himself at the center of Michigan’s head coach search.
According to an ESPN report on Tuesday morning, the Michigan Wolverines are zeroing in on the former Utah head coach as a leading candidate to take over the program. His name is expected to be discussed with top Michigan officials, and if approved, talks could move quickly toward a possible deal.
The development comes just weeks after Whittingham stepped away from Utah following a strong 10–2 season. While his departure raised eyebrows, Whittingham made it clear he was not done with coaching.
In fact, he jokingly said he was “entering the transfer portal,” signaling he was open to the right opportunity. That opportunity may now be in Ann Arbor, as Michigan looks for stability and a reset after recent seasons filled with scrutiny and off-field noise.
Whittingham spent 21 seasons leading the Utah Utes and turned the program into a consistent winner. He finished his Utah tenure with an impressive 177–88 record. Under his leadership, Utah earned a reputation for tough, disciplined football, regularly competed for conference titles, and was often featured in the Top 25 rankings.
Utah is scheduled to play in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl on New Year’s Eve, but Whittingham’s future quickly became a major talking point after his exit. Within Michigan’s inner circles, support for him has grown, with many believing his emphasis on physical play and accountability fits exactly what the program needs right now.
Michigan is also considering other options. On Christmas Eve, FootballScoop reported that Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken was added to the list. Monken has head coaching experience at Southern Mississippi and played a key role in Georgia’s back-to-back national titles as offensive coordinator. Other names linked to the job include Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm and Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
For now, however, Kyle Whittingham remains the name drawing the most attention as Michigan weighs its next big decision.
Michigan Lands Kyle Whittingham on Massive Deal: Salary and Contract Length Revealed
Michigan has agreed to a five-year contract with veteran coach Kyle Whittingham, according to Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that 75 percent of the contract is fully guaranteed.
As per Thamel, Whittingham’s deal carries an average annual value of $8.2 million across five years. He is set to earn $8 million in salary in 2026. In comparison, Whittingham earned $6.925 million in 2025, a figure that ranked him 33rd among head coaches at public universities, according to USA TODAY’s coaching salary database.
Based on the same database, Whittingham’s projected 2026 salary would place him 21st among all college football coaches at public institutions. Within the Big Ten, his pay would rank eighth among head coaches.
Kyle Whittingham was born on November 21, 1959, and is currently 66 years old. If he completes the full term of his Michigan contract, he will be 71 by the end of the deal.
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