The coaching staff of Kyle Whittingham, the new Michigan football head coach should start coming together soon, and it already has, with the reported addition of Jay Hill as the defensive coordinator.
Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported on Sunday that Michigan was "planning" to hire Hill as the defensive coordinator, which goes along with everything that's been reported since Whittingham was hired by Michigan on Friday.
Michigan is planning to hire BYU’s Jay Hill as its new defensive coordinator under Kyle Whittingham, sources tell @CBSSports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 28, 2025
Hill, who has a longstanding relationship with Kyle Whittingham, led the way as BYU finished its season ranked top 25 nationally in scoring defense. https://t.co/hoW9kYAe3k pic.twitter.com/HuS7WUphmP
Hill is a former player under Whittingham. He was BYU's defensive coordinator the past three seasons, as well as their safeties coach and associate head coach. The Cougars just finished a 12-2 season earlier this week with a win in the Pop Tarts Bowl.
Hill is viewed as one of the best defensive minds in college football, and here are three observations that should have Michigan football fans excited about their new (reported) defensive coordinator.
A defense that takes the ball away
BYU has finished in the top 25 in scoring defense each of the past two seasons. That's solid work. What's even more impressive is the way the Cougars have taken the ball away. BYU was third nationally in takeaways in 2024, with 29. 12 different players had an interception for a team that had 22 total.
It wasn't a fluke either; BYU had 17 interceptions this season, as well as 23 total turnovers. That's 52 takeaways in two seasons, which is one reason Michigan fans should be thrilled at Whittingham stealing away the BYU defensive coordiantor.
BYU has 50 sacks over the past two seasons, too, including the most this season for the Cougars since 2016 (30).
Coaches could follow him, too
There have been some big-time assistant coaches mentioned since Whittingham was hired, but with Hill in the fold, another name to know is Jernaro Gilford.
The long-time cornerbacks coach and defensive pass-game coordinator for the Cougars would be a huge get. BYU has ranked in the top 20 in interceptions in each of the past three seasons, after also having 14 in 2023, something Gilford should get credit for.
Lamar Morgan has been solid. But when Whittingham mentioned bringing in 7-8 new hires, you had to wonder if Gilford is one of them. The BYU pass defense allowed 221 passing yards per game this season, but only 182 in 2024. There has been more talk of assistants on offense, but a new face in the secondary, or faces, with Hill coaching the safeties and Gilford the cornerbacks, would be a welcome move.
Head coach experirence
Another exciting thing about Hill is that he's got head-coaching experience, following a successful eight-year stint at Weber State, where he won four Big Sky conference championships.
It feels like Hill and offensive coordinator Jason Beck will be sold on the idea that they could take over after Whittingham steps down, wherever that will be. He said he thought he could coach the five years he agreed to.
But if not, Hill could be ready to take over after proving that he's one of the best defensive coordinators in all of college football. If he keeps that up at Michigan, he'll be a head coach again before we know it.