Kyle Whittingham is playing the long game but Michigan needs to win now

When Sherrone Moore was fired in December of 2025, Michigan fans were feeling a bit of deja vu. Granted, when Jim Harbaugh left, it was of his own volition, but yet again, the Wolverines were without a head coach, and it felt like the football program was starting over again.

Some of those fears subsided when Kyle Whittingham was hired shortly after, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to Ann Arbor. Maybe this is the guy to turn things around at Michigan fast, although is it really turning things around when Michigan still won nine games last season despite everything going on around the program?

Whittingham wants something to build on this season, but at 66 years old, who knows how long he will be coaching for, and this roster has the talent to win now. The time for winning is now at Michigan, and Whittingham needs to get on board and stop playing the long game.

"I think we’ve got a good football team," Whittingham said. "If we’re playing meaningful games in November, that’s a successful season and something to build on."

It takes time to build success but the pieces are there at Michigan right now

Sure, every team wants to be a dynasty with a long lifespan of success, and that takes time to build. For Whittingham, he is no stranger to success, especially with limited resources at Utah. So, someone may want to remind him that he has a wealth of resources at Michigan, an extremely talented roster littered with four-and five-star recruits, and a strong coaching staff around him.

There is no playing the long game here. Yes, Michigan has a gauntlet of a schedule this season, playing the top four teams: Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon, and Penn State. Granted, the Nittany Lions are in a sort of rebuild as well, but never count out Penn State and the success they can have.

Michigan fans are itching for something positive after winning a National Championship back in 2023. Nine wins last season felt like a miracle with the way the offense looked and the coaching staff having more problems than Ariana Grande's song "99 Problems." With a new coaching staff and arguably a better roster, there is no excuse not to be playing meaningful games in November.

Even a 9-3 record, which Michigan finished 2025 with, would be a dream with this type of schedule. Looking at who the Wolverines are playing, those types of opponents will win them favor in terms of a College Football Playoff bid come December.

The quote from Whittingham has a nice sentiment, and it is normally what every college football fan would love to hear, but the time for rebuilding is over; Michigan needs to produce something bigger now.

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