Michigan football may finally have its footing again. Kyle Whittingham arrived in Ann Arbor preaching discipline and a clear departure from the turbulence of the Sherrone Moore era. The program took its first visible step into a new era Saturday night, not at Michigan Stadium or inside Schembechler Hall, but under the lights of a basketball court.

“First of all, I’d like to welcome coach Dustin May and his Michigan Wolverine basketball team,” Kyle Whittingham said at Crisler Center. “It’s an honor to be the 22nd head football coach at the University of Michigan. Blessed to be here, can’t wait to get started. The first order of business was to assemble a great assistant coaching staff. Here we have one or two more than that, but otherwise, this is the group that will be coaching the young men this spring and this fall. I can say for sure that we’re going to be a physical football team.”

Whittingham made his first public appearance as Michigan head coach in an unexpected setting as he addressed fans at Crisler Center during their basketball game against USC. Watching him, fans couldn’t hold back their respect and gave a standing ovation to the Hall of Famer. He made it pretty clear that he and his staff are ready to reset the locker room and make this season a success for Michigan.

He stood along with his growing coaching staff, which includes handovers Tony Alford, Lou Esposito, and Kerry Coombs, and he even brought in his Utah-influenced staff into the team to bring stability. He got defensive ends coach Lewis Powell onto the team and is planning to get assistant head coach Jim Harding, tight end coach Freddie Whittingham, wide receiver coach Micah Simon, and offensive analyst Koy Detmer Jr. to Michigan.

Michigan football entered the offseason facing uncertainty following Moore’s firing, with a leadership transition occurring late in the cycle and staff construction compressed by the calendar. Whittingham brings a defined track record to that situation. Across 19 seasons as Utah’s head coach, he compiled a 177–88 record, won multiple conference titles, and led the Utes to an undefeated 13–0 season in 2008. Utah’s identity under Whittingham was consistently built around line-of-scrimmage play, defensive structure, and roster development.

Whittingham’s tenure at Utah also concluded without NCAA sanctions or personal-conduct investigations tied to the head coach, a point of contrast following Michigan’s recent off-field instability. Michigan has not publicly indicated that any remnants of the previous coaching structure will influence program operations moving forward.

Age has been noted as a factor externally, but Michigan’s hire prioritizes experience and staff cohesion over long-term projection. That approach was reflected again in Whittingham’s first major offensive hire. With that push, Whittingham also added another key piece from his Utah staff to the team.

Kyle Whittingham makes a major staff addition

Kyle Whittingham got his Utah ally Jason Beck into Michigan as the new offensive coordinator. After the move, Whittingham strongly backed his decision and praised Beck.

“Jason Beck is an exceptional leader with a proven track record as a developer of quarterbacks and a creative play caller,” Whittingham said. “He’s an innovative coach, constantly finding ways to challenge defenses through an efficient, balanced attack—whether on the ground or through the air. We’re looking forward to seeing Jason and our offensive staff mentor and inspire the young men who represent our team.

Beck arrives in Michigan with an impressive resume from Utah. And leading the nation’s most productive offenses in 2025. The team ranked second nationally in rushing offense (266.3), fourth in total offense (482.9), and fifth in scoring offense (41.2 points per game) while throwing just five interceptions all season. Utah also ranks among the top national leaders in third-down conversions and red-zone efficiency.

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Before Utah, Beck served as offensive coordinator at New Mexico in 2024, where the Lobos finished top five nationally in rushing offense and first downs that season. He also coached quarterback Devon Dampier and developed him into one of the nation’s leading QBs.

Now, with that experience, Jason Beck is all set to take the Michigan Wolverines to new heights in the coming season.