Following the 41-21 loss to Texas at the Citrus Bowl, Michigan entered the offseason seeking immediate changes to its staff. Moments after the reported hiring of OC Jason Beck, WR coach Micah Simon, TE coach Freddie Whittingham, and QB coach Koy Detmer Jr. circulated, Kyle Whittingham’s Michigan potentially hiring a new defensive coordinator from BYU made the news. 

Well, after days of rumors that BYU’s DC Jay Hill was on the verge of joining Kyle Whittingham’s band of brothers, Michigan officially announced Hill as the new defensive coordinator at Michigan on Friday morning, January 02. In the press release, Whittingham expressed his excitement about the reunion.

“Jay Hill is a great leader and one of the sharpest defensive minds in the game,” said Kyle Whittingham. “His competitive nature and commitment to excellence will help us forge a disciplined, tough defense that prides itself on physicality. Jay has the ability to consistently put players in the best position to succeed and make plays.

We’re excited to welcome Jay and his family to Ann Arbor, and we are confident they’ll be a tremendous addition to our Michigan Football family.”

Hill’s arrival at Michigan marks a reunion with Kyle Whittingham. Jay Hill worked under Whittingham’s staff from 2005 to 2013 at Utah, holding various coaching roles, including CB coach, special teams coach, tight ends coach, and running backs coach. 

Notably, Whittingham and Jay Hill at Utah developed multiple MW Conference MVPs, first-team all-conference players, and NFL stars more consistently throughout their time at the Utah Utes. During that period, he maintained solid recruiting connections in Utah, Nevada, and Sacramento, and was widely recognized as a top recruiter for the classes of 2009 and 2012.

Later, he left Utah to take the Weber State head coaching role from 2014 to 2022, compiling a 68-39 record and leading the program to four conference title wins. In 2022, he joined BYU as the defensive coordinator and associate head coach, spending two seasons with the Cougars.

In his two seasons, he transformed a struggling defense into one of the most standout units in the country, ranking first in the Big 12 scoring defense for two seasons straight, allowing an average of just 19.4 points per game.

While the Jay Hill era at BYU officially came to an end, Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake has publicly expressed his gratitude for Hill and his efforts in developing the Cougars’ defense.

Kalani Sitake’s farewell note to Jay Hill

After Michigan, BYU’s head coach, Kalani Sitake, made Jay Hill’s hire official, he shared a thank-you note to their former DC. Sitake appreciated his efforts in developing the Cougars’ defense for the last two seasons.

“I want to express my sincere appreciation to Jay Hill for all he’s done for BYU football over the last three years,” said Kalani Sitake. “He’s a great coach, and I wish him the best in his new endeavor. Our football program is in a great place as we look to build on the success of the past two seasons with all the talent we have returning in 2026.”

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At the same time, Sitake expressed optimism regarding the program’s future, revealing that they’re in search of a new defensive coordinator and intend to retain other key coaches and staff members at BYU.

“I’m excited about the collaborative efforts of our defensive coaches over the past few years and the momentum we have been building as a staff,” said Sitake. “We have a lot of quality coaches in our program, and I’m proud of their efforts. We’ll make the necessary staff adjustments soon, as we continue to find ways to help our players improve and elevate the success of BYU football.”

It’s certainly exciting times for Kyle Whittingham and Michigan, who look to bounce back in the upcoming season.