Michigan’s head coaching search in Ann Arbor may finally come to an end. After targeting Kenny Dillingham and Kalen DeBoer, attention briefly shifted to Utah’s Kyle Whittingham. However, despite 21 seasons at the helm, Whittingham has no plans to retire, allowing Michigan to move forward with the pursuit.

Now, sources are strongly pointing to Kyle Whittingham as Michigan’s next head coach. However, an official announcement has yet to be made.

“Given how quickly Michigan’s coaching search has evolved, updated sourcing now indicates that Utah HC Kyle Whittingham will become the next Head Coach at the University of Michigan. The situation has shifted multiple times, but current information points to Whittingham as the hire,” reporter Bryan Aguada wrote on X.

Timing has played a huge role in all of this. Right after Michigan fired Sherrone Moore, Kyle Whittingham announced that he would “step down, not retire,” after 21 seasons at Utah, where he earned $6.9 million annually.

“The time is right to step down from my position as the head football coach at the University of Utah,” Whittingham said in the statement earlier this month.

Utah had been preparing for this moment for a while. Since 2024, defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley had already been named the head coach-in-waiting, making the transition smooth and drama-free. With that succession plan in place, Whittingham suddenly became available with a free agent tag. Naturally, people quickly started connecting the dots and wondering if Whittingham could be Michigan’s next play caller. The timing only strengthened that idea.

Kenny Dillingham signed a contract extension, taking himself out of the mix, while Alabama’s win over Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff kept Kalen DeBoer focused on preparing for a CFP game on January 1. On December 22, interim head coach Biff Poggi hinted that Michigan’s coaching search could wrap up sometime between Christmas Day and December 31, when the Wolverines face Texas in the Citrus Bowl.

That timeline made Whittingham the most realistic and accomplished option still available. And the résumé backs it up.

Whittingham is Utah’s winningest coach and one of the longest-tenured head coaches in the FBS, having taken over in 2004. He led the Utes to three conference titles, two Rose Bowl appearances, two top-five AP finishes, and an undefeated 2008 season capped by a Sugar Bowl win over Alabama. He also won National Coach of the Year honors in 2008 and 2019.

This season, Utah finished 10–2 under Whittingham and ranked No. 15 in the final playoff standings. He will coach his final game with the Utes on New Year’s Eve against Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl, and by then, his future should finally become clear.

No obstacles for Kyle Whittingham 

Alongside Kyle Whittingham, Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm was also in the mix for Michigan’s head coaching job. For a while, it looked like the Wolverines could have Brohm as a serious option next to Whittingham. But that’s off the table now. Brohm just led Louisville to a 27–22 win over Toledo in the Boca Raton Bowl. And shortly after the final whistle, reporters asked him about the Michigan opening. His response was pretty telling.

“I don’t speak on other jobs,” Brohm said. “I’m happy with this one, and we’re going to enjoy the victory.”

Was that a rejection? Probably.

Brohm knows the Big Ten well, having gone 36–34 at Purdue, including a strong 9–4 season in 2021. While he hasn’t made the College Football Playoff at Louisville, his 28–12 record there is hard to ignore. That’s why he remained a popular name in coaching circles. Everywhere Brohm has coached, he has turned programs into conference contenders.

He won back-to-back Conference USA titles at Western Kentucky and led Purdue to a Big Ten West title in 2022. He has built a strong reputation for developing quarterbacks who reach the NFL, including Brandon Doughty and David Blough. That track record would’ve made him a huge asset for Michigan, especially with QB Bryce Underwood projected to lead the Wolverines’ offense in the coming years.

UPDATE: Kyle Whittingham has officially been hired as Michigan’s next head football coach. He signed a five-year contract, as reported by the school.