Michigan’s coaching future has sparked debate, and Biff Poggi’s name continues to divide opinions. While critics have fixated on his record at Charlotte, former Michigan staffers point to the bigger picture behind Poggi’s resume.

“Anyone using Biff’s record at Charlotte as a reason why he shouldn’t be the head coach at Michigan is immediately disqualified from being taken seriously,” Connor Stalions said on X. “You can point to anything else you want to. But pointing to a record at a brand-new FBS program with extremely limited resources, competing in a conference against USF, Memphis, North Texas, Navy, and SMU (at the time), while also playing Florida and Maryland in the non-conference, is just silly.”

Biff Poggi taking over the reins at Michigan makes sense, as he is familiar with the program. He previously served as an analyst for the team in 2016 and also took the reins as associate head coach during the 2021 and 2022 seasons under Jim Harbaugh. But his head coaching record doesn’t really fit the bill, as Poggi’s season ended on a rough note in Charlotte. He went 6-16 with them in two seasons before being fired with two games remaining in 2024.

Whereas Sherrone Moore went 17-8 in two seasons with Michigan before getting fired. They secured a win against Ohio State in 2024 under him and even handed a tough loss to Alabama. Matching that resume will be a hard nut to crack. But even Stalion’s plea makes sense. Charlotte moved from Conference USA to the American Conference, which was a much tougher conference. That made them a new team going against older teams with better rosters and a strong NIL front.

Even Biff Poggi confirmed Charlotte’s on-field struggles because of a tougher schedule. Every team that won against Charlotte went to a bowl game, and many won in that.

“This was one of the toughest schedules in the country. This was the toughest schedule in Charlotte history by far,” Poggi said.

So, Charlotte’s loss isn’t just Biff Poggi’s fault. With better resources and a high-end roster, Poggi did show what he is capable of. During his time at Michigan under Harbaugh, the team made back-to-back Big Ten championships and playoff appearances. And Michigan went 25-3 with Poggi on staff, which shows his impact.

On top of it, he has already led them to two wins as the interim head coach against Central Michigan and a road victory against Nebraska. And in this changing football landscape, a team’s success depends more on NIL, better staff, and a better roster than on the coach’s scheme. Even Stalion points it out.

“With college football constantly changing, you need a CEO. People need to realize that being a head coach is maybe 10% scheme,” Stalions said. “Tops. It’s 90% about staffing & organization, evaluating, recruiting, retaining & developing players, fundraising, and leadership.”

Investing more in all facets of a team results in better outcomes. Just take Ohio State for example. Ryan Day won last season’s national championship title and again made a playoff appearance this season. Even Indiana invested big time in the roster and staff and is at the No. 1 position in the league. With Dave Portnoy’s NIL backing, Poggi can turn their fate. Now, Michigan’s bowl game against Texas might define Beff Poggi’s future.

But it looks like the $250 million Michigan booster has someone else in his mind.

Biff Poggi’s chances look thin after Dave Portnoy’s move

Texas A&M’s loss against Michigan put head coach Mike Elko in a tough spot. After their embarrassing 10-3 loss, with an underwhelming offensive line performance allowing seven sacks to quarterback Marcel Reed, gaps were exposed. And that loss even gave Michigan’s booster Dave Portnoy a perfect chance to push Elko for Michigan’s job.

After the game ended, Portnoy hit X, saying, “Mike Elko to Michigan,” openly urging him to make a move to Ann Arbor to take over the $34.3 million head coaching job role, which was once held by Sherrone Moore. This plea makes sense, as after Kalen DeBoer’s constant denial, the Wolverines are now trying to bring in another highly regarded coach.

Now, even if Mike Elko decides to make a move to Michigan, their financial muscle can be the reason. Portnoy’s extensive donations with a NIL collective exceeding $16 million will give him major backing in recruiting talented players. Just like they did with quarterback Bryce Underwood.

But that won’t be an easy perk for Michigan, as Mike Elko has signed a six-year contract extension with the team worth $11 million, which will go till 2031. For now, there’s no chance of Elko making a move to Michigan. So, let’s wait and see which coach finally takes the reins at Michigan.