It's been a wild ride the past few weeks for fans of the Michigan Wolverines.
While Michigan is dominating in men's basketball, hockey, and women's basketball, with all three programs in the top 6 nationally, the Michigan football program, and the search for a head coach after Sherrone Moore was fired, has put a damper on things.
Two weeks after Moore was fired, the Wolverines are still searching for a new head coach. We know it won't be Kenny Dillingham or Jeff Brohm. Kalen DeBoer seems off the table, too.
A new candidate emerged this week, and not surprisingly, our Christmas wish list for the Michigan Wolverines starts with finding a new head football coach.
Hire a quality football coach
Michigan football needs a head coach sooner, rather than later. However, making the wrong hire would have more long-term ramifications than the 2026 roster.
Todd Monken, the former Georgia OC and current Baltimore Ravens play-caller is the latest name to be mentioned for the job. He was a one-time head coach at Southern Miss, and took a zero-win team to nine wins in three years, winning the C-USA championship and C-USA Coach of the Year.
Kyle Whittingham is still out there. The soon-to-be former Utah head coach is 66 years old. But he was just recognized by ESPN as a top-10 head coach before the 2025 season, in which his Utah team won 10 games, and is ranked in the top 15.
It feels like those are the top two options right now, which is honestly fine. Monken could build a great staff. He could hire someone from the Ravens to be the defensive coordinator, or keep Wink Martindale, and with his QB pedigree, there's a chance he could convince Bryce Underwood to stay.
Whether it's Monken or someone else, Michigan football needs to get it right, and time is of the essence.
Get Bryce Underwood to come back
Michigan football is going to lose players to the transfer portal. That's just the reaility of a coaching change. Only two recruits have asked out of their letters of intent so far. That's a positive and only Jadyn Davis has announced his intention to leave via the transfer portal.
Some bigger names will surely follow. As long as one of them isn't Bryce Underwood, the Michigan Wolverines will be just fine.
Monken would be great for Underwood's development. If the five-star QB stays, it feels like others such as Andrew Marsh and Jordan Marshall would stay, too.
There is still a chance to salvage this roster, and still try to build a playoff-caliber team in 2026. It all starts with Underwood, though. He's the key.
Michigan basketball didn't peak too early
It's been incredible to watch Dusty May's Michigan basketball team destroy the competition. The Wolverines beat Auburn, Gonzaga, and Villanova each by 28 points or more. San Diego State, too.
We knew this team was going to be good, but this good?
Nobody saw that coming. However, it wouldn't be the first time Michigan has had the best team in college basketball but didn't win the national title. It happened back in 2013 and you have to hope that this 2025-26 team didn't peak too early.
This team has the talent to cut down the nets in April. It would be the first Michigan basketball team to do it since 1989 (36 years). With all the close calls of the Fab Five and the John Beilein eras, it feels like the Wolverines are due for another national championship.