Why Michigan hired Kyle Whittingham over Kalen DeBoer, other options after Sherrone Moore firing

Why Michigan hired Kyle Whittingham over Kalen DeBoer, other options after Sherrone Moore firing originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Michigan was put in a tough spot when revelations of an improper relationship forced the exit of coach Sherrone Moore after the coaching carousel had largely come to a stop.

While the Wolverines made it clear they planned to conduct a full search to try to reset the program, doing so in mid-to-late December comes with fewer replacement options and a very small window to make a hire. 

Michigan's search reached a conclusion on Friday, and the result was a coach many believed was retired. The Wolverines agreed to hire former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, who stepped down after 21 seasons at the helm of the Utes on Dec. 12.

Here's what you need to know about Michigan's decision to hire Whittingham after Moore's unexpected firing. 

MORE:Sherrone Moore charges, explained

Why did Michigan hire Kyle Whittingham?

In many ways, Whittingham can be viewed as a stopgap option. He is in his late 60s and at least weighed retirement in recent years. That could be exactly what Michigan was looking for, despite its prestige and championship expectations.

Interim coach Biff Poggi told reporters after Moore's firing and arrest that the program has been a "malfunctioning organization" for five years and required a "massive self-examination." Whittingham may be year-to-year at Michigan at his age, but after running a mostly clean program at Utah for more than two decades and winning plenty of games while doing so, he might be the ideal candidate to reset the Wolverines. 

Whittingham said he had anticipated retiring after the 2024 season but wanted to return for at least one more run because of a disappointing finish. As expected, Whittingham stepped down after going 10-2 this past season, but he didn't label the decision a retirement, telling reporters recently that he was "in the transfer portal."

Whether Whittingham envisioned becoming the next head coach at Michigan or not, the Wolverines are giving him the chance to steady the ship and finish his coaching career at a premier program after more than two decades of winning at Utah.

Here's a look at some of the other candidates Michigan considered:

Jeff Brohm

Reports tied Michigan to Louisville coach Jeff Brohm in recent days, and Brohm unintentionally fed into the rumors when he told reporters, "I don't speak on other jobs," after the Cardinals' Boca Raton Bowl win over Toledo. 

Brohm, who had success at Purdue before returning to his alma mater three years ago, was "directly contacted" by Michigan, 247 Sports reported.

Kalen DeBoer

Alabama coach Kaleb DeBoer was one of the earliest targets of Michigan's search as some wondered whether Ann Arbor might be a better fit for Nick Saban's successor, but the Crimson Tide's playoff win over Oklahoma delayed the timeline of a potential exit, and DeBoer himself quelled rumors by telling reports he had "no plans of talking with anyone" at Michigan.

Kenny Dillingham

Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham was reported as a potential candidate for Michigan, but he agreed to a new contract extension with the Sun Devils after the Wolverines job opened up and told reporters he never received a formal offer from Michigan.

MORE:Michigan's timeline of trouble since Jim Harbaugh hiring

How old is Kyle Whittingham?

Whittingham turned 66 in November, making him one of the oldest FBS head coaches. 

A BYU graduate who got his coaching start as a graduate assistant with the Cougars, Whittingham spent a whopping 32 seasons at Utah. He started his Utes tenure as defensive line coach in 1994 before taking over as defensive coordinator in 1995. Urban Meyer retained Whittingham when he took over the program in 2003, and Whittingham took the reins after Meyer's departure for Florida at the end of the 2004 season.

Why did Kyle Whittingham leave Utah?

Whittingham said he strongly considered retiring after the 2024 season but "couldn't step away on that note," referencing a disappointing 5-7 season. After a 10-win campaign in 2025, Whittingham stepped away as many expected.

"The time is right to step down from my position as the head football coach at the University of Utah," he said in a statement, offering few details.

While many initially believed Whittingham was retiring, reports indicated he planned to keep his options open, and the veteran coach himself later said he was "in the transfer portal."

Whittingham may have simply viewed this juncture as the right time for a change after 32 years at Utah and 21 as the head coach. His defensive coordinator, Morgan Scalley, had already been labeled Utah's coach-in-waiting, so a succession plan was in place. Whittingham's decision to exit came two days after Moore's firing at Michigan, so the Wolverines' opening could have been in the back of his mind.

MORE:Revisiting Michigan's sign-stealing scandal

Kyle Whittingham coaching record

Here's a season-by-season breakdown of Whittingham's tenure at Utah:

Whittingham had only three losing seasons at Utah, winning at least 10 games in eight different seasons. 

Whittingham guided the Utes to an undefeated season in the Mountain West in 2008 and won back-to-back conference titles in the Pac-12 between 2021 and 2022. 

Oldest coaches in NCAA football

Whittingham ranks as the fourth-oldest head coach in the FBS:

Sherrone Moore Michigan scandal

Michigan wasn't expected to make a head coaching change after going 9-3 in 2025, but Moore was fired on Dec. 10 after the university received evidence of a longstanding relationship between the coach and a staffer. 

Reports have since alleged that the relationship began before Moore succeeded Jim Harbaugh as head coach in 2024 and that the relationship was rumored within the facility. Moore is married with three children. 

Hours after being fired, Moore was arrested for allegedly breaking into the home of the woman with whom he was involved in the improper relationship and threatening to take his own life. Moore was hit with three charges on Dec. 12, including felony home invasion. 

More reports in the wake of Moore's firing have detailed the erosion of relationships within Michigan's program, with The Athletic alleging Moore became "increasingly volatile" in the months leading up to his firing to the point that "fellow staff members became concerned about his mental state.

MORE:Explaining the Sherrone Moore scandal