Dave Peloquin has been Michigan’s general manager for less than a week. But he’s already in rooms that matter. He spent 21 years at Notre Dame and another year at Athletes First negotiating NIL deals from the agent’s side. Now, he’s bringing that exact playbook to Kyle Whittingham’s camp.

Peloquin hit the ground running almost immediately after being offered the job. He’s already been in contact with key members of Champions Circle, Michigan’s official NIL collective. He is also in touch with other major donors. He is working to transition smoothly into the role and introduce himself to the people who power the program behind the scenes. 

First impressions, by all accounts, have been strong. People who have had early conversations with him are describing him as “impressive” both personally and professionally. He’s brought ideas to the table that, per sources, are bold and a little different from what Michigan has done before. Perhaps the most important long-term piece of what Peloquin is building, though, is sustainability. One of his stated priorities is creating an NIL model that will work five to ten years from now.

Champions Circle launched its “Membership 2.0” initiative right after Whittingham’s hire. The collective was already thinking bigger. And Peloquin’s arrival gives that effort a real strategic architect. Kyle Whittingham, for his part, has already told Peloquin he’ll give him the space and autonomy to operate the way he sees fit. The athletic department and the football program are reportedly aligned on the direction Peloquin is steering things. 

The sheer depth of what Peloquin has seen and done across two very different sides of the sport makes him unique for this role. He spent 21 years at Notre Dame. He started as a student manager under Bob Davie and worked his way through the tenures of Ty Willingham, Charlie Weis, Brian Kelly, and Marcus Freeman. He eventually became assistant athletics director for football strategic initiatives. He played a direct role in building rosters that reached the College Football Playoff in 2012 (BCS), 2018, 2020, and 2024. 

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And the year he spent at Athletes First, the sports agency that represents names like Dak Prescott and Kyle Hamilton, has given him yet another skill in his arsenal. As GM of their collegiate division, he was working directly on guiding college players through NIL contracts and preparing them for the NFL draft. He has seen player valuation from the agent’s side of the table, not just the program’s. 

That perspective is invaluable in today’s landscape, where players routinely shop their NIL value to the highest bidder. Moreover, the deep Notre Dame connections he shares with multiple Wolverines coaches like running backs coach Tony Alford, safeties coach Tyler Stockton, and DT coach Larry Black make it clear why he is the man for the job. The pieces are in place; now it’s about execution.

Kyle Whittingham gets big praise from his players

Michigan’s right guard Jake Guarnera entered the transfer portal during Citrus Bowl prep, then he withdrew and made his way back to the team, looking at the culture shift that Kyle Whittingham brought to the team.

“I like him. He’s really establishing that culture of being accountable for each other,” Guarnera said. “I like that. He’s like, ‘If you don’t do what’s best for the program, then how are you going to do great? “I think he’s really just preaching that to us and making sure that the leaders on the team know that that’s something that’s big time, the accountability aspect.”

Well, the trust makes sense as Kyle Whittingham repeatedly mentions building a “family culture” where coaches care about players and players care about each other. On top of that, he also set the standards for newcomers to adapt to Michigan’s culture rather than expecting them to change.

He even made players responsible for the team and let them take charge. Four of their players became spring captains for the 2026 season: Bryce Underwood, Jordan Marshall, Trey Pierce, and Rod Moore, showing how the team trusts their leaders.

So, with this developmental mindset, let’s wait and see how Michigan performs this season under him.