Michigan have reached an agreement with Kyle Whittingham to become the school’s next head football coach, according to a report by ESPN, turning to one of the most experienced figures in the sport to steady a program throttled by scandal.
Whittingham, 66, has agreed to a five-year deal that is expected to be formally announced later on Friday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel reported. The move comes weeks after Whittingham stepped down from his long-held position at Utah, where he spent 21 seasons as head coach and became the most successful figure in the program’s history.
At Utah, Whittingham compiled a 177-88 record and led the Utes to consistent relevance at the national level, including an unbeaten 13-0 campaign in 2008. His overall winning percentage of 66.8% and longevity at a single program have long positioned him as a future inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame.
When Whittingham announced his departure from Utah earlier this month, he made clear he was not retiring from coaching, joking publicly that he was entering “the transfer portal.” The phrasing of his exit – described as stepping down rather than retiring – immediately fueled speculation that another high-profile opportunity could be imminent.
Michigan’s vacancy emerged under far different circumstances. Their search for a new head coach was triggered by the abrupt dismissal of Sherrone Moore, who was fired earlier this month after the university said an internal investigation found “credible evidence” of an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.
Within hours of his firing, Moore was arrested by police in Pittsfield Township, near Ann Arbor, and later charged with three crimes, including home invasion and stalking a person he had previously dated. Washtenaw County prosecutors said Moore “unlawfully enter[ed] the dwelling of a victim with whom Mr Moore had a dating relationship” and accused him of “terrorizing” the woman following the loss of his job.
Moore, 39, spent two nights in jail following his arrest. His attorney, Joe Simon, said there was “no evidence to suggest he’s a threat”. Michigan has not publicly disclosed details of the alleged relationship, though athletic director Warde Manuel said Moore’s conduct constituted “a clear violation of university policy”.
Moore, who is married and has three young daughters, had signed a five-year contract last year with a base salary of $5.5m. Under the terms of the deal, Michigan will not owe a buyout because he was fired for cause.