Michigan’s Kyle Whittingham is already making bold moves, targeting BYU defensive ace Jay Hill. While HC Kalani Sitake has accepted the possible departure, BYU safety Tanner Wall clearly has not.

“Yeah, playing for Jay has been an amazing privilege,” Wall said after their Pop-Tarts bowl win against Georgia Tech. “I switched positions from offense, from wide receiver to safety, right when Coach Hill got to BYU. So being with him and kind of just being mentored by him and understanding the way that he sees the game and understands the game has helped me immensely in my development.

And just so grateful to have a coach who believed in me to give me that opportunity.”

The heap of emotions took place after head coach Kalani Sitake slightly hinted at a probable departure during the post-game press conference.  “I feel really good about what we have going here,” Sitake said. “And with the players and the coaches, we’ll go with what we’ve got. And I feel good about the staff, how we established the foundation.”

A statement like that is bound to hit hard when the bond runs as deep as it does. When Jay Hill arrived as BYU’s defensive coordinator in 2023, one of his first big moves was sliding Wall from wide receiver to safety. And it completely changed Wall’s career. The switch paid off in a big way, turning him into a senior captain and a key piece on both defense and special teams.

This season, Wall racked up 66 tackles, four interceptions, and a forced fumble. He even earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors after the Utah win this season. In that game, he posted 10 tackles and a pick. Hill has never shied away from praising him either. He often points out how Wall “won the job because of his consistency,” and that he “shows up every day.” Wall has echoed that respect, noting how Hill “talks about it all the time,” how the defense needs to get more turnovers.

He’s also spoken about Hill’s toughness through a health scare, calling the staff the kind of coaches “you want to run through a wall for”. That’s why the idea of Hill leaving stings. And with Kalani Sitake essentially confirming Hill’s departure, the reality is starting to sink in.

“Jay’s a big part of what we were able to do defensively for the last three years,” Sitake added.

The numbers back it up. Before Hill arrived, BYU ranked 99th nationally in scoring defense, giving up nearly 30 points per game. Since then, the Cougars shaved more than 10 points off that average and cut opponents’ yardage by almost 10 percent. By late 2025, BYU’s defense still sat firmly in the top 30 nationally. Along the way, players like linebacker Isaiah Glasker broke out, leading the team in tackles and the Big 12 in tackles for loss.

Michigan’s 2026 season looks bright

Kyle Whittingham didn’t waste any time after landing the Michigan job. Just days into his new role, the 66-year-old is already reshaping the Wolverines’ coaching staff for 2026 following Sherrone Moore’s exit. And BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill looks like one of his first big moves. According to a source familiar with the situation, Michigan is “very, very” close to hiring Hill, likely to run the defense.

If it gets done, Hill would be coming off a high note at BYU, fresh from guiding the Cougars to a Pop-Tarts Bowl win over Georgia Tech and wrapping up a three-year stint in Provo. This isn’t a random reunion, either. Hill and Whittingham go way back. Hill spent more than a decade on Whittingham’s staff at Utah from 2001 to 2013, climbing from grad assistant to special teams coordinator. A true Utah lifer, Hill was born in Lehi and went to school in Salt Lake City. There, he coached all over the state before stopping at Weber State and BYU.

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And that résumé is no joke. Hill led Weber State for nine seasons (2014–22), going 68–39 and becoming the winningest coach in program history. He won four Big Sky titles and made six FCS playoff appearances. It’s exactly the kind of defensive background a head coach loves to lean on. So while BYU braces for a tough goodbye, Ann Arbor might be celebrating a major win.