In an unusual all-team meeting that shattered any sense of normalcy, Michigan players were stunned with the news that head coach Sherrone Moore had been fired. With the Transfer Portal set to open on Jan. 2, the urgency is real. Michigan needs a head coach, and it requires the right one quickly. That’s why Analyst Jake Butt and Josh Pate didn’t hold back when they identified a coach who they feel is perfect for the Wolverines’ current situation.

In a recent X post, Jake Butt, Michigan alum and Big Ten Network analyst, reported, “Kenny Dillingham is another name that would be an awesome hire for Michigan. Program builder has exceeded expectations, young and intelligent, offensive-minded. As is the case with many names, I wonder if he’d leave ASU? Native there. Alum. Loyal to his home.”

Kenny Dillingham is another name that would be an awesome hire for Michigan. Program builder, has exceeded expectations, young and intelligent, offensive-minded.

As is the case with many names, I wonder if he’d leave ASU? Native there. Alum. Loyal to his home.

— Jake Butt (@Jbooty88) December 12, 2025

The urgency around Michigan’s coaching search is a full-on pressure cooker. And the public noise intensified even more when Josh Pate appeared on Get Up and didn’t sugarcoat anything. He stated that Michigan should pause and decide what sort of school it wants to be before making offers. Then, he added something that immediately caught attention: the Wolverines’ position feels “tailor-made” for the $7.4 million coach, Kenny Dillingham.

“But I feel kind of strongly about this… that job looks tailor-made for a guy like Kenny Dillingham. I know other names will be thrown out, but I’m telling you, Kenny Dillingham for most college football fans is a guy who they’ve heard sound bites from,” Pate said.

The real complication is leverage. Dillingham’s deep ties to Arizona State, where he is both an alum and a native, give him rare control in any conversation, forcing Michigan to weigh whether it is pursuing a realistic target or merely an ideal fit. And honestly, Dillingham has had a wild track record at ASU. He has already accomplished one of the most remarkable program turnarounds at the age of just 35.

He took over an Arizona State team that was buried under sanctions and stuck in the wreckage of the Herm Edwards era. In 2024, he pulled off an 11-3 season and led the Sun Devils into the College Football Playoffs in their first year in the Big 12. He was named one of the fastest-rising coaches after that dramatic turnaround immediately placed Dillingham among the fastest-rising head coaches in college football. Before injuries struck, he was 8–4 this year and 22–16 (15–12 conference) after three seasons.

But the Dillingham impact extends beyond wins. It’s the offensive transformation. For two straight seasons, Michigan’s passing attack has lagged well behind the standard expected of a national contender, fueling frustration among fans and intensifying calls for a more aggressive, quarterback-centric offensive philosophy.

Meanwhile, quarterbacks seem to follow wherever Dillingham goes. After guiding Bo Nix to win SEC Freshman of the Year honors at Auburn, he reunited with him at Oregon, where Nix flourished for 3,593 yards, 29 touchdowns, and a 71.9% completion rate.

Kenny Dillingham did it again at Arizona State with Sam Leavitt, turning a young dual-threat into the heartbeat of a playoff team before his foot injury cut short his season. And that’s exactly the kind of spark Michigan’s quarterback room has been starving for. But while the Wolverines desperately need an offensive revival, they are battling something far more urgent.

Michigan’s program faces a rapidly escalating crisis

Michigan’s program has been forced into crisis management mode at the worst possible moment of the calendar. The program is caught up in real-time crisis management instead of preparing for the Citrus Bowl and planning the offseason. The inquiry is expanding, the head coach is under arrest, and nobody at Schembechler Hall appears to know what will happen next. Administrators scrambled to stabilize the situation as players and recruits were left shaken by the uncertainty.

The consequences of all of this are already being felt on the field. The fallout was immediate on the recruiting front. Four-star tight end Matt Ludwig decommitted, while offensive lineman Bear McWhorter withdrew his National Letter of Intent, both citing uncertainty surrounding the program.

There is a window of opportunity for another program to take over every hour when there is instability. But when Moore was arrested in Saline later that night and turned over to Pittsfield Township police for an assault investigation, the situation worsened even further. What at first appeared to be an internal HR violation turned into a criminal prosecution.

The updates have only become more chaotic since then. Moore was formally charged following his arrest, with court records showing he appeared before a judge and was released under strict bond conditions, including a no-contact order. What initially appeared to be an internal disciplinary matter escalated rapidly into a criminal case, accelerating Michigan’s decision to terminate him for cause.

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And behind the scenes, even more has surfaced. According to NBC reporting, Michigan administrators were aware Moore was dealing with mental health challenges prior to Wednesday’s incident. The report also noted that Athletic Director Warde Manuel handled Moore’s dismissal without HR or security present, a detail that has since drawn both internal and external scrutiny.

Now, as the university is attempting to figure out a head coach who went from leading a top-10 team to sitting in jail in a single day, that choice is being scrutinized. And with no clear end in sight, Michigan is dealing with one of the messiest coaching crises in recent college football history.