Kyle Whittingham fortifies Michigan's front office with NFL experience

Kyle Whittingham just keeps loading up on front-office hires for the Michigan football program, hiring another on Monday that will make the Wolverines' recruiting operation even better.

After hiring Ron Bellamy over the weekend, who will be a huge asset for in-state recruiting, Whittingham has made another major addition to Michigan's front office, with the hire of former Giants director of college scouting, Chris Pettit, as an assistant general manager, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.

Kyle Whittingham makes another really strong hire

Pettit was part of the Giants organization for two decades, winning multiple Super Bowls. With the transfer portal, this will be an extremely valuable move.

There are only so many roster spots available. There is only so much money, too. Programs will have to decide (they already do) who to target, who to pay, and also who to avoid in the portal.

Missing on a player isn't just missing on a scholarship anymore. There is a financial investment. When you think about it from a salary cap perspective, if you waste 10 percent of your money on a player who doesn't pan out because of injury, performance, or some other reason, that will be a huge blow.

Pettit can help prevent some of those mistakes. That's the idea, at least. He can also help Whittingham identify certain players in the transfer portal that will be able to fill immediate needs, just like in NFL free agency.

Michigan football fans have wanted the program to invest more in the off-field department (front office). Jim Harbaugh and Sherrone Moore didn't do enough. That's one mistake that Whittingham is correcting and it's good to see.

These moves don't generate huge headlines, but they do help the team win games.