In the chaotic wake of Sherrone Moore’s firing, Michigan is scrambling for a new leader, yet the one already in the building, Biff Poggi, is being controversially overlooked. That apparent slight hasn’t gone unnoticed, and it didn’t sit well with former Michigan tight end Jake Butt.

“One thing that is continually overlooked and missed when talking about Biff Poggi as the potential next HC is his network,” Jake Butt wrote on X. “Notice how he joked with Saban on GameDay earlier this year. That’s a real friendship. He is close with so many legends of the game, and his reputation alone would allow him to get on the phone with anyone he wanted. So comparing him to your everyday interim HC that becomes HC is fully disingenuous. I absolutely believe Biff would be able to build a staff that is on par with many of the names so many Michigan fans wanted to hire from the jump.

And there is zero doubt in my mind he would put together a staff that is light years better than your avg ‘interim HC’. He is not just a nice guy that the players are comfortable with and trust. He’s far more than that. He has legitimate national respect across the football world. Again… Michigan shouldn’t *hand* him the job bc the players say so. They should (and have… but should continue to) give him a genuine and full interview. And if he’s the best candidate, I think they should have zero reservations about naming him HC.”

The support for Poggi is justified. The timing of Moore’s firing couldn’t be worse, with the transfer portal opening in less than two weeks. With all the uncertainty and internal chaos, Michigan risks losing players. Instead of looking at the backyard, the front office seems focused on swinging for big names. That approach overlooks what Michigan already has. Poggi has the resources, the backing, and the respect needed to keep the program steady.

He has already gone 2–0 as acting head coach this season while Moore served his suspension. And then Poggi’s coaching network is no joke, either. It began with his tenure as a head coach at Gilman School and later Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore, where his programs consistently produced elite talent that went on to play for major college powers. As a former hedge fund manager, Poggi even put his money into those programs.

Poggi funded 65 scholarships at Saint Frances to attract top players and build national relevance. On top of that, Poggi isn’t new to Ann Arbor. He served three separate stints on Michigan’s staff under Jim Harbaugh, including a role as associate head coach. Harbaugh valued Poggi’s leadership and praised him as a mentor who “helps coach the coaches.” Most importantly, the players love him.

Team captain Marlin Klein didn’t hesitate to endorse Poggi as the next head coach. “He’s a Michigan man, he loves it here. And everybody loves him. I truly believe he’s the right person for this job.” Even outside the program, the praise continues to come.

“I’ll just say, as a parent, I’ve been blown away by Biff Poggi and what he’s done,” ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said. “Not necessarily surprised by that. But this is a difficult set of circumstances outside of Schembechler Hall. But what he’s done to be able to pull this team together, (he’s) almost like a father figure to me.”

Biff Poggi receives support from Michigan nightmare

Biff Poggi doesn’t have limited backing from people for the head coaching job. However, when an infamous personality like Connor Stalions, who was a nightmare for Michigan, backs the 66-year-old, things are actually serious.

“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,” he said via X.

Charlotte joined FBS as a brand-new program in 2015 with scant resources. They faced a brutal American Athletic Conference slate that included USF, Memphis, North Texas, Navy, and SMU. Additionally, non-conference powerhouses like Florida and Maryland made things difficult.

“Vince Lombardi, Bill Belichick, and Nick Saban wouldn’t go .500 if they all coached together with that schedule,” Stalions argued.

Now, post-Moore’s firing, Poggi again leads the Wolverines for the bowl game. On3’s Pete Nakos highlighted Poggi among Michigan’s interests over the weekend. He noted that he’s no “flashy hire” but a stabilizing force for a program craving relevance.