Kyle Whittingham is leaning on familiar ties to reshape Michigan football quickly. After Sherrone Moore’s firing, the veteran coach is bringing trusted allies to stabilize the team. His first move was hiring Jason Beck from Utah as offensive coordinator, and now, he appears to be adding another former Utes staff member to strengthen his team.

Reports suggest that Kyle Whittingham is bringing Utah’s EDGE coach Lewis Powell into the team as defensive line coach. Powell’s addition marks the seventh hire for Whittingham at Michigan. With Beck, he joins defensive coordinator Jay Hill, quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer Jr., wide receivers coach Micah Simon, tight ends coach Freddie Whittingham, and offensive line coach Jim Harding, adding up to a Utah-influenced staff.

But can we blame Kyle Whittingham for it? During his time at Utah, Powell helped send eight players to the NFL with six draft picks. He also coached two consensus All-Americans: Bradlee Anae in 2019 and Jonah Elliss in 2023. along with seven first-team All-Conference selections. This shows his dominant impact on the program.

Now, Powell’s resume adds up to his hire even more. He began coaching as a graduate assistant from 2009 to 2010 at his alma mater, Utah, after finishing his playing career. He then took the reins as administrative assistant in 2011 before he left for Salt Lake City to coach the defensive line at Hawaii, spending three seasons from 2012 to 2014. Then, back in 2015, he returned to Utah as a tight end coach, shifting to defensive line in 2016.

Since then, Powell’s defense has consistently performed at a high level. Utah led the Pac-12 in rushing defense five times and finished in the FBS top 20 during its final six seasons, finishing three times in the top five nationally. Now, that resume doesn’t just bring a strong defensive backing to Michigan but also gives them the potential to develop four- and five-star recruits on the team.

This might even bring stability to Michigan’s defensive line, which has been inconsistent throughout the season. Against USC, their defensive line failed to put pressure on USC quarterback Jayden Maiava, allowing them to move the ball on the field and through the air easily. Even their run defense failed to contain the rushing attack.

Now, with Powell joining the team, Kyle Whittingham is planning to rebuild the defensive line. Louis Esposito, who coached them for the last two seasons, will move to focus on interior linemen, while Powell will work with the ends. This might give Michigan more depth in the coming season.

All thanks to Kyle Whittingham, who’s proving why he’s a perfect fit for the Wolverines.

Why Kyle Whittingham is a perfect fit for Michigan?

For the second time in recent years, Michigan has been forced to make a head coaching hire under adverse circumstances. The first came when Jim Harbaugh departed for the NFL, prompting the program to elevate offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore to head coach. Now, following Moore’s personal scandal, Michigan has again turned to an outside solution, hiring longtime Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham. While his age may not point to a long-term tenure, the hire makes sense on nearly every other level.

At 66, Whittingham brings one of the most accomplished résumés in college football, compiling a 177–88 record since taking over at Utah in 2005. He led the Utes to two Pac-12 championships and a Mountain West title, while consistently fielding disciplined teams and maintaining a strong internal culture — qualities Michigan badly needs in the wake of Moore’s dismissal.

Michigan also offers Whittingham resources he never had at Utah. Enhanced NIL support, including backing from Dave Portnoy, positions the program to recruit at an elite level. Stepping into a national powerhouse with the infrastructure to compete immediately was the primary motivation behind Whittingham’s return to the sidelines.

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“I still got plenty of juice left in the tank and feel energetic,” Whittingham said to ESPN. “And you know, Michigan is, you know, a top-five job in my opinion. There’s no question it’s a top-five job. And at the place I was in my career when I stepped down at Utah, it would have taken a top-five job to lure me back into it.”

Now, with new coaching hires and a head coach, let’s wait and see how next season turns out for the Michigan Wolverines.