Michigan football could be hiring one of the elite head coaches in college football, soon, according to new reporting from ESPN's Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel.
That head coach would be Kyle Whittingham, who announced recently that he was stepping down as head coach of the Utah Utes.
Whittingham has won 66.8 percent of his games with Utah, which would be a high enough winning percentage to get him into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Whittingham has won multiple conference championships, too. The Utes went 13-0 in 2008, beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl to finish second in the AP Poll. Whittingham also led Utah to back-to-back Pac-12 championships in 2021 and 2022.
Kyle Whittingham is a no-brainer for Michigan football
The 66-year old expressed interest in the job. After Michigan football kicked the tires on Alabama's Kalen DeBoer and others, Whittingham is the first candidate to emerge as a serious candidate to be hired.
There has been a lot of talk about different candidates, but the buzz between Michigan and Whittingham seems legit at this point, and with the transfer portal set to open next week, time is of the essence.
Here's what ESPN reported on Friday morning: "Whittingham's candidacy is expected to be shared with top Michigan officials on Friday, per sources, and a deal could come together in the near future if they approve."
Whittingham was Urban Meyer's defensive coordinator at Utah. Meyer has since said, "Kyle Whittingham is one of the best coaches in college football. He’s the best. He’s the best coach in college football."
For the first time in his career, Whittingham would have the resources of a blue-blood program. He should be able to build an incredible staff. He will need to make some big-time recruiting hires, too, but there's no reason the Wolverines shouldn't dominate in the portal and on the recruiting trail.
Yet, even looking back on this season, how much better would Michigan football have been this season if Whittingham was the head coach? Hell, the Wolverines might be in the College Football Playoff.
So if Whittingham is the hire, and Michigan can keep most of its roster intact, starting with Bryce Underwood, this program could bounce back into College Football Playoff contention next season, with one of the best head coaches in the sport.
Seems like a no-brainer.