Kyle Whittingham was brought to Michigan to help change the culture in Ann Arbor. While in some ways he has, the Wolverines are struggling with unforced penalties on the field. Up until the Iowa game, those penalties hadn't cost Michigan a game, but against the Hawkeyes, Zeke Berry's unsportsmanlike penalty gave Iowa new life on its final drive that won them the game.
Penalties happen; sometimes players get beat on the line, and they get called for a hold. Sometimes a ball is underthrowna nd as the wide receiver comes back for the ball, pass interference gets called. However, penalties like late hits, unsportsmanlike conduct, and illegal formations can be avoided, but for Michigan, they are starting to pile up.
On3's Anthony Broome did the numbers, and in 26 games between Sherrone Moore and Bidd Poggi, who was the interim during Moore's suspension, Michigan has just two games with eight or more penalties. In the Whittingham era, which has only been four games, Michigan has three games already with eight or more penalties.
Michigan performances with 8 or more penalties over the last 3 years:
— Anthony Broome (@anthonytbroome) September 27, 2026
Sherrone Moore/Biff Poggi: 2 in 26 games (2025 vs. New Mexico, Citrus Bowl vs. Texas)
Kyle Whittingham: 3 in 4 games (Western Michigan, Oklahoma, Iowa)
Penalties cost games, and Michigan finally felt that on Saturday against Iowa. Instead of having the Hawkeyes in a fourth-and-long on their final drive, Berry's penalty allowed 15 yards and a new set of downs for Hank Brown and the offense. To this point, Michigan was able to play through the unforced flags, but against Iowa, it was too little too late.
Even the Michigan players know that the penalties need to be cleaned up
It is not like the players don't know that they need to clean up the mistakes, especially defensively. Against Oklahoma, Jyaire Hill, another Michigan defensive leader, was called for an unsportsmanlike penalty that allowed Oklahoma a new set of downs when they were pinned inside their own five-yard line. That was the only drive Oklahoma actually scored a touchdown on, and tied the game.
Luckily, Hill had time to make up for his mistake with an interception that set Michigan up for the go-ahead touchdown, but against Iowa, Berry's penalty didn't leave much time for a play like that to be made.
Michigan's captain Rod Moore spoke on the matter of the final drive and penalties and admitted that the Wolverines shot themselves in the foot and could have closed out the game.
Michigan captain Rod Moore after the loss to Iowa:
— Alejandro Zúñiga (@ByAZuniga) September 26, 2026
"Defensively, at the end of the game, we had three opportunities to close out the game. Two stupid penalties. We shot ourselves in the foot."
It's not just the defense that is causing unforced penalties, though. On the second-to-last offensive drive for Michigan, the Wolverines were called for an illegal formation penalty that backed them up five yards on second down. They got to replay the down, chose to run the ball so they could run the clock, and got nothing.
Then, when Iowa figured the pass was coming on a third-and-long, Michigan finally put the ball in Bryce Underwood's hands, but it was a doomed play from the start. If the Wolverines hadn't had the penalty, they could have had a better shot at converting the second or even third and short.
Ultimately, Whittingham needs to figure out these undisciplined penalties, or Michigan could lose a lot more games this season that they should win.
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