Dusty May’s exit from Michigan has turned into the kind of moment that makes a coach’s words matter. Kyle Whittingham did not offer a long monologue, but he did make one thing clear that he respects May, who won the national championship with the basketball program. The football head coach understands the move, and believes Michigan will be fine moving forward.

“First of all, I love Dusty. In the short time I’ve been with him, he’s just a stud, a phenomenal basketball coach, and a great opportunity for him. Wish him all the best. And going forward, I’m sure the program will be in good hands,” said Whittingham in an interview with Woodward Sports Network when asked about his thoughts on Dusty May heading out.

Dusty May’s move makes sense on the NBA side because he’s joining the Dallas Mavericks, who had a vacancy after firing Jason Kidd, and May is stepping into a franchise that wants a quick turnaround around Cooper Flagg. Reports say his deal is being finalized, though the exact salary has not been disclosed yet.

However, May’s sudden departure is going to be a shock for the Michigan fans, especially considering his spring message regarding his contract, when he said, “Warde [Manuel] and I agreed to terms. Just like last year, I think we ended up signing it in July.” After leading Michigan to its first-ever title win since 1989, the fans expected the program to replicate that success in the next season. There is no doubt that the defending champions could continue their run in the upcoming campaign, but it will be under a new head coach. Dusty May spent two seasons in Ann Arbor, finishing with a 64-13 record.

That matters because roster retention and recruiting can wobble fast after a coach leaves, especially when a national-title program suddenly changes direction. For Michigan, the next few weeks will decide whether the championship momentum holds or starts to slip.

Michigan is not starting from zero, though. Reports say Mike Boynton Jr. is expected to serve as the interim coach, giving the Wolverines a bridge while the school works through the next step for the 2026-27 season.

On the flip side, Michigan will be Kyle Whittingham’s last coaching stop. He doesn’t intend to leave the Wolverines and has his eyes firmly set on winning the national title. Interestingly, Dusty May believes Whittingham can take the football program to the top.

Dusty May’s confidence in Kyle Whittingham

Though Dusty May wasn’t connected to Kyle Whittingham directly, he knew about the football coach’s strong leadership skills through his friends who played basketball at Utah, where the new Michigan football head coach spent 21 seasons.

“I think his ability to coach ball is obviously at the highest level,” said May in April 2026, after Michigan’s win over McNeese. “He [Kyle Whittingham] seems like a really balanced family guy. I’m sure he’s someone that I’ll lean on for some advice and enjoy learning from because he’s done this at a high level for a long time. He’s very, very well respected in college athletics.”

“He doesn’t need any message from me. He’s been doing it for a long time, and I’ve heard only great things about him,” added Day.

Although the Michigan men’s basketball head coach will not be in Ann Arbor following his decision to leave, Whittingham’s goal is clear about his retirement: “They just said, ‘What do you foresee?’ I told them that I feel great, and as long as I feel great and am excited and passionate about what I’m doing, I just want to keep going.”

Due to his age, many doubt Whittingham’s long tenure at Michigan, but the coach shut down all rumors and said he has no decided timeline. He signed a $41 million contract with Michigan and has a goal to lead the Wolverines at the highest level. Now we will see how Michigan’s 2026 season unfolds under its 22nd head coach.