The Michigan football head coaching search took a turn for the worse this weekend. The strategy was to wait out Kalen DeBoer, but when Alabama beat Oklahoma, that plan fell apart.
Michigan might be willing to wait and see if Alabama loses the Rose Bowl on January 1st. That's far too long to wait, although waiting for the right coach is better than hurrying, and hiring the wrong one.
I've always had a hard time seeing DeBoer coming to Michigan. That's why Kenny Dillingham should have been the focus, the early priority.
But that didn't work out. Now, the Wolverines need to pivot, or find a way to make a great move when it seems like it won't happen. Remember, at the 11th hour in the search for Dusty May, it looked like he was headed to Louisville, before Michgan found a way to sign him, with an assist from John Beilein.
Michigan needs similar good fortune here. Whether U-M turns to Jeff Brohm, Kyle Whittingham, or another name we haven't heard yet, the one thing it can't do is panic.
Rich Rod and Brady Hoke were panic moves that set back the program. Here are four head coach hires who would be in that same vein, and despite what happened this weekend, here are four hires the Wolverines must avoid at all costs.
Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri
His record is solid. Drinkwitz has led Missouri to a pair of 10-win seasons. He was the SEC Coach of the Year in the 2023 season, but it feels like he would be Rich Rod part two.
Outside of wanting to run the ball, Drinkwitz doesn't feel like a fit. He also just stole away Michigan's offensive coordinator, Chip Lindsey, from the 2025 season. So it doesn't seem like this is happening, which is good.
Drinkwitz would be a disaster.
Biff Poggi
If Drinkwitz is the Rich Rod on this list, Poggi is the Brady Hoke.
Don't get me wrong, Poggi is someone that Michigan football owes a huge debt of gratitude to. He was stellar as the interim head coach during the 2025 season, and his leadership over the past two weeks has been critical.
Anyone head coach hired should want Poggi on staff as the associate head coach. But he shouldn't be the permanent head coach, or even the head coach for a year.
Kyle Whitingham and Poggi are each 66. If Michigan is going to hire someone that old, it should hire Whittingham, someone who was recognized by ESPN as one of college football's top 10 head coaches prior to the 2025 season, when his Utah Utes went 10-2.
3. Josh Heupel, Tennessee
You wonder if you might hear the name of Josh Heupel start to surface in connection to the Michigan football job. He was mentioned as the end of the Penn State coaching search, but didn't seem that interested.
Maybe he would be interested in Michigan, yet the Wolverines shouldn't be interested in him. Heupel is a solid recruiter and a great offensive mind.
He just doesn't seem like a fit at Michigan. Tennessee made the College Football Playoff in 2024, but got destroyed by Ohio State.
It feels like that would happen a lot if he were the Michigan football head coach.
Heupel would be Brady Hoke with a spread offense, one that actually works.
4. Brian Kelly
Regardless of the resume, Brian Kelly should never be a candidate for this job. He would be a disaster at Michigan.
Any of the others on this list would be much better than Kelly. His name hasn't been mentioned, and it probably won't be; you worry if Michigan gets really desperate, his name could appear on the radar.
Just a reminder that would be awful.