The dominoes are falling at Michigan, and not in the right direction. That’s the Michigan fiasco in a nutshell. Six days ago, head coach Sherrone Moore was fired for ‘having an inappropriate relationship with a staffer.’ Ann Arbor is still reeling from the aftermath. Now, parental concerns have begun to surface with Kirk Herbstreit weighing in.

“You have a program that’s broken for now, and there’s an investigation going on within the entire athletic department,” Analyst Kirk Herbstreit shared on Monday. “I can just tell you more as a parent how impressed I’ve been with Biff Poggi, who has been taken over to be the interim head coach.”

For the ESPN analyst and former Ohio State quarterback, the Michigan episode weighs more deeply as his son Chase plays QB for the Wolverines.

It was in December last year that Chase committed to the Wolverines. And it all took place within fifteen minutes. Chase was accompanying his dad in a meeting at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium when he received a call from Michigan. And that’s what it took for Chase, a die-hard Buckeyes fan, to drape the Maize and Blue.

As he had been struggling to get solid offers, when Ann Arbor called, he answered.

But at that time, Chase’s future looked brighter. Michigan had been coming off a national championship title. Although the sign-stealing scandal marred the U-M brand, the development of J.J. McCarthy and Blake Corum (and others) added to the appeal. But it’s no longer a rosy picture, and Herbstreit, Dave Portnoy, and others are calling for accountability.

On Dec. 10, Sherrone Moore was fired for cause. A situation that later escalated into a criminal case. Now, Michigan is in crisis with AD Warde Manuel facing intense scrutiny. But the most affected group has been the players.

However, interim head coach Biff Poggi provides steady support during this challenging time.

“It’s almost like he’s like a father,” Herbstreit continues. “Not a coach, but he’s a coach, but he’s like a father, which is what you need in this situation. I’m just so impressed with what he’s been handed and the way he’s talking, and it just feels like, okay, as long as he’s there, everything is going to be okay.”

The regular season concluded on a bitter note, but the bowl season has just started. With Michigan in crisis, the Wolverines will face off against Arch Manning’s Texas. But the locker room is feeling betrayed.

The Michigan locker room feels betrayed

The dismissal comes at a critical juncture, with bowl preparations and recruiting in full swing.

Just weeks ago, Moore faced a two-game suspension for the sign-stealing scandal. The Wolverines were unable to defeat their arch-rival and failed to qualify for the playoffs. Despite that, the Citrus Bowl had the fans’ excitement for the weekend. But the latest episode has dampened that enthusiasm.

“It has been a tumultuous time,” Poggi said. “A lot of anger and at first disbelief and anger, and really what we’re in right now is the kids, quite frankly, feel very betrayed, and we’re trying to work through that.”

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Poggi has stepped up to the interim head coaching duties for now. But the program is scrambling to find a new head coach. Given Michigan’s current condition, it’s proving to be a tough call.

Kalen DeBoer has firmly shut the door on the possibility. But Kenny Dillingham is still trending hot on the coaching carousel.

Dave Portnoy has also mentioned, “I’ll get Dillingham on a silver platter in 48 hours,” if given the resources.

But the Arizona head coach has already expressed his love for his alma mater, with his agent already in discussions for an enhanced contract.