With Kyle Whittingham officially coming to Ann Arbor, the next looming questions are which players is he bringing with him, and which players can he convince to stay at Michigan?
Well, the Wolverines' newest head coach might have already answered that question for one of Michigan's stars: running back Jordan Marshall.
After meeting with Whittingham and while preparing for the Wolverines' appearance in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, Marshall fueled the hopes of Michigan fans everywhere.
"[Whittingham] brings intensity… when I talk to guys they’re like ‘this guy seems like he’s gonna be good…' Gonna keep getting to know him," Marshall said. "I want to be at Michigan … I love this place."
Jordan Marshall loves playing for Michigan
With Justice Haynes sidelined due to injury, Marshall truly stepped into the RB1 role this season, amassing 932 rushing yards for 10 touchdowns on the ground, alongside nearly 100 receiving yards.
The Michigan football program has, quite literally, been through the wringer over the last few weeks (and last few years). So, finding any kind of consistency, such as a star player deciding to stick around, would be a dream come true for the Wolverines.
Marshall isn't a local kid, growing up in the not-so-great state of Ohio, so his love for Michigan has truly been nourished by the program itself, no matter which coach was at the helm. If Whittingham can convince him to play just one more year for the team, it would be huge.
Michigan RB Jordan Marshall discusses meeting Kyle Whittingham and his U-M future: “Brings intensity … when I talk to guys they’re like ‘this guy seems like he’s gonna be good … Gonna keep getting to know him.
— Tony Garcia | Detroit Free Press (@RealTonyGarcia) December 28, 2025
“I want to be at Michigan … I love this place.” pic.twitter.com/yqNNyFgztw
Meanwhile, the Wolverines are still waiting on pins and needles to learn the fate of a few other star players, including starting quarterback Bryce Underwood, who started for Michigan as a true freshman this season.
Whittingham is one of the most experienced college football head coaches, and actually planned to retire after this season (his 21st with the Utah Utes). Throughout his lengthy tenure in Utah, he led the program to 177 wins and just 88 losses.
With three conference titles and six conference division titles to his name, why wouldn't star players want to be part of Whittingham's program? That's the question that every single Wolverine, including Marshall and Underwood, will have to consider over the next few weeks.
The 2025 transfer portal window officially opens on January 2 and will be open for 15 days, during which players can decide whether or not they actually want to leave their current program or not. As of now, it seems like Marshall is keeping his name out of that portal.