Powell, a former Utah defensive lineman, has been on the Utes coaching staff since 2015.
Kyle Whittingham will reportedly be taking a Utah defensive coach with him to Michigan, in addition to a number of offensive coaches from the school.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Thursday afternoon that defensive ends coach Lewis Powell will join Whittingham on Michigan’s staff.
Source: Utah defensive ends coach Lewis Powell is leaving for Michigan to work with Kyle Whittingham. He’s expected to work with the defensive line there and be run game coordinator. He’s been with Whittingham for 11 seasons, 10 of which were with the defensive line. pic.twitter.com/PjLxmZ0yJJ
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 1, 2026
Per Thamel, Powell is expected to coach the defensive line at Michigan and work as the program’s run game coordinator.
Powell has been at Utah since 2015. After one year as tight ends coach, he was defensive line coach from 2016-18 and has served as defensive ends coach at the school since 2019.
Thursday has been a busy day of reports on coaches joining Whittingham’s staff, one day after the Utes wrapped up their 2025 season — Whittingham’s final year at the school after 21 seasons as head coach — with a 44-22 win over Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Powell will reportedly join five other Utes assistants at Michigan, including offensive coordinator Jason Beck, offensive line coach Jim Harding, receivers coach Micah Simon, tight ends coach Freddie Whittingham and quarterbacks coach and analyst Koy Detmer Jr.
BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill is also reportedly headed to Ann Arbor to serve in the same capacity at Michigan.
Powell, who played on the defensive line at Utah from 2001-03, has sent eight Utes to the NFL during his second stint on Utah’s staff, including six draft picks.
He also has coached two consensus All-Americans and this year’s defensive breakout star, defensive end John Henry Daley, earned All-America and All-Big 12 honors.
Category: General Sports
