Michigan football finds Sherrone Moore's successor weeks after controversy

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Kyle Whittingham is the next head coach of the Michigan Wolverines football program with a reported deal coming weeks after the university fired Sherrone Moore for what officials described as an “inappropriate relationship” with a staffer. Moore was later arrested.

Whittingham and Michigan agreed to a five-year contract, ESPN reported Friday.

He will take over for Biff Poggi, who was named the interim head coach after Moore was dismissed. Poggi made his case to take over the job in the last week.

Whittingham will be the fifth head coach since Lloyd Carr retired after the 2007 season.

Michigan made the move official late Friday night.

“Kyle Whittingham is a well-respected and highly successful head coach who is widely recognized as a leader of exceptional character and principled leadership,” athletic director Warde Manuel said. “Throughout our search, he consistently demonstrated the qualities we value at Michigan: vision, resilience, and the ability to build and sustain championship-caliber teams.

“Kyle brings not only a proven track record of success, but also a commitment to creating a program rooted in toughness, physicality, discipline and respect — where student-athletes and coaches represent the university with distinction both on and off the field. We are excited to welcome Kyle to the University of Michigan family as he takes the helm of our football program”

Whittingham announced earlier this year he would step down as the head coach of the Utah Utes after 20 seasons. He expressed interest in continuing his coaching career and quickly became one of the handful of coaches who were possible Moore successors.

Whittingham, 66, served under Ron McBride and Urban Meyer at Utah. He had been with the program since 1994, when he first started out as a defensive line coach. Michigan will be the second head coaching stop for him. He is 177-88 all time.

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“We are honored to lead the outstanding student-athletes, coaches, and staff who represent Michigan Football each day,” Whittingham said. “Michigan is synonymous with tradition and excellence — both on the field and beyond — and our entire program is committed to upholding those values while striving for greatness together.

“My family and I are thrilled to join the University of Michigan community, and we look forward to helping our players grow, develop, and reach their highest potential — on the gridiron, in the classroom, and as leaders. It’s a privilege to be part of something that inspires pride in every Wolverine fan. Go Blue!

Michigan is considered one of the top football jobs in the country despite the scandals that have plagued the school in recent years. One of the biggest included a sign-stealing scandal that led to the suspension of Jim Harbaugh. Moore also served a suspension as part of an NCAA investigation.

Through it all, Michigan won the national championship behind J.J. McCarthy in 2023. The Wolverines were 15-0 that season, going undefeated for the first time since 1997 under Carr. The Wolverines won the national championship that year as well.

Whittingham will be called upon to right the ship that has been rocking for the last few weeks.