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Michigan had to spend over $12 million to look into the culture of its athletic department after Sherrone Moore was fired in December 2025. As a result, Warde Manuel is also leaving the program at the end of the calendar year. The law firm looking into the whole thing interviewed about 300 people involved with the program. But they couldn’t get former Michigan interim head football coach Biff Poggi to participate.

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“I am not interested in speaking to you or anyone else,” Biff Poggi wrote in a text message to the firm, according to The Wall Street Journal. “I have put Michigan in my rearview mirror, and I’m keeping it there. I’m glad I’m gone.”

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Poggi’s sharp comments emerged after the Wall Street Journal reported on text messages he sent in response to the law firm Jenner & Block. The firm reached out to Poggi to understand what was happening in the program during the Sherrone Moore scandal. When the WSJ asked Poggi for a comment, he told the publication that “he was grateful to Michigan and glad to move on.”

Warde Manuel, the AD for Michigan University, had the reins for almost a decade. He entered Michigan in 2016, and during his tenure, he built a massive on-field success, culminating in national championships in football and basketball. But sadly, his journey ended because of institutional oversight failures. 

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Poggi’s refusal to look back aligns with the severe frustration he voiced while actively trying to manage the program. He has had three stints with Michigan, but his last one came with Moore. After being fired by Charlotte near the end of 2024, Poggi returned to Michigan for the 2025 season to serve as assistant head coach.

However, during the 2025 season, Poggi had to assume control of the team for two weeks due to Moore’s suspension in relation to the sign-stealing scandal. In those two games, Michigan defeated Central Michigan and Nebraska. And if he thought that was it, sadly, there was more to come. Poggi was again named the interim head coach.

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This time, he was leading the team into the bowl game after Moore was fired for an inappropriate relationship with a staffer. At the time, Poggi even stood up for his athletes who were feeling betrayed by the staff.

“It’s been a tumultuous time,” Poggi said, via ESPN. “A lot of … first disbelief, then anger, then 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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Where is Biff Poggi now?

When the 2025 season came to an end, Poggi decided to part ways, and Kyle Whittingham took over the program. He completely left the coaching world and entered the media world. He is officially joining the Big Ten Network as a studio college football analyst for the 2026 season. The Big 10 conference has commenced with him behind the desk.

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The 66-year-old is very happy with his decision and has now put his journey with Michigan on hold. Because Poggi achieved massive financial independence from his past career as a highly successful hedge fund manager, he didn’t need to rush into another assistant coaching role or accept a minor head coaching job.

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Isha

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Isha is a College Football Journalist at EssentiallySports, where she covers the sport with a focus on tactical nuance, player dynamics, and the stories that unfold beyond the field. Her work blends sharp analysis with context-driven storytelling, offering readers a deeper understanding of both the game itself and the ecosystem around it. With years of experience as an athlete, Isha brings a lived understanding of the aggression, discipline, and emotional intensity that define team sports. This background shapes her writing, allowing her to approach college football with authenticity and insight. With a degree in Political Science and a law degree underway, her academic journey adds another layer to her perspective; helping her examine not just what happens during games, but the structures, decisions, and narratives that shape them. At EssentiallySports, Isha focuses on delivering coverage that goes beyond the scoreboard, capturing both the action on the field and the drama that unfolds when the cameras are off.

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