On November 30, top in-state edge rusher Recarder Kitchen committed to the Wolverines. Less than two weeks later, coach Sherrone Moore was fired and everything regarding Michigan football was called into question.
But through a tumultuous few weeks in Ann Arbor and the whirlwind transition from Moore to Kyle Whittingham, Kitchen hasn't wavered on his pledge to the Wolverines, and he wants everyone to know that he's solid in his commitment to Michigan.
Rivals300 EDGE Recarder Kitchen did not commit to Michigan because of a coaching staff. He wants to be a part of the program's tradition.
— Ethan McDowell (@ethanmmcdowell) February 12, 2026
“My loyalty with Michigan is very strong.”
More from the No. 2 recruit in the state: https://t.co/azjXkYf7F9 pic.twitter.com/7aAN9HKNMS
Recarder Kitchen already sounds like a true Wolverine
Whittingham had a lot on his to-do list when he was hired on December 26. He had to try to keep the already-signed members of the 2026 recruiting class as intact as possible and manage the transfer portal, which included some major moves. While he was doing all this and putting together a staff, Whittingham also needed to check in on the 2027 commits, like Kitchen and quarterback Peter Borque.
So far, everything appears to be going well and Kitchen restating his commitment and desire to play for the Wolverines is something that should get fans to ease up on their worry about the switch in coaches and how Whittingham will tackle recruiting at Michigan.
However, anyone that's heard Kitchen's thoughts in the past shouldn't be surprised. When he committed to the Wolverines, he told 247Sports that the most important things to him were relationships and life after football.
"The number one thing in my recruitment was communication and loyalty, and Michigan stood out big in that department," Kitchen said. "They texted me all the time asking me how I was doing and asked me about life outside of football. It was always about more than football, because there's a lot of life to live after football."
If there's anything to know about Whittingham, it's that he's a players' coach and a natural mentor. One can imagine that the first time the new coach and Kitchen spoke, they bonded very quickly because they had similar priorities. This not only speaks well of the early relationship between Kitchen and Whittingham, but how well Whittingham is going to relate to players he will be recruiting into the program.