Tuesday was another busy day in the search for the next Michigan football head coach. Kenny Dillingham spoke with reporters, but didn't really say much.
Dillingham's words could have been viewed in a positive light by Michigan football fans or by Arizona State fans. It just depends on how you look at what he said. He left the door open to leave, but hinted that if he has the resources, he would like to stay.
That's the message I took away, at least. Beyond that, there were rumblings about Jedd Fisch no longer being a candidate, which is something Josh Pate confirmed on his YouTube show Tuesday night.
This is a big deal. In the previous editions of our Michigan football head coach power rankings, we had Fisch in the No. 2 spot behind Dillingham.
Fisch was one of the three candidates who made the most sense, so if he's off the board, things get a little more dicey for the Wolverines. The Washington head coach is off our board now. Two others have been added, and here are the updated Michigan head coach candidate power rankings.
7. Clark Lea, Vanderbilt,
Joel Klatt has mentioned him numerous times and brought up his name again this week. Lea hasn't gotten much buzz but just finished a 10-win season at Vanderbilt, after winning seven games in 2024.
That's impressive work. He also just landed a five-star quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class, who happens to be ranked No. 1 in Jared Curtis.
Diego Pavia is a huge part of that success. So does that translate? Lea would be a massive upgrade over Sherrone Moore but still has a small sample size, as did Fisch.
6. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri
Michigan football contacted Drinkwitz, or at least the search firm did, according to a report from the Associated Press, but I just have a hard time seeing this work. Drinkwitz said negative things about the Michigan football program in the past. He was the SEC Coach of the Year in 2023 and had back-to-back 10-win seasons, plus a Cotton Bowl win over Ohio State.
However, fit matters, and it doesn't feel like Drinkwitz would be a very good fit. He belongs right where he's at.
5. Jeff Brohm, Louisville
If you are talking about a proven winner, Jeff Brohm is one. He's won a conference championship as a head coach (C-USA), took Purdue to a conference championship game, and has won at least nine games with three different programs, including two in the Power-4.
After posting a 30-10 record with Western Kentucky, Brohm, an offensive guru, was 36-34 in six years as the Boilermakers head coach. The program reached a bowl game four times. Purdue also won 17 games over his last two seasons there. Quarterback Aidan O'Connell averaged 3,602 passing yards and 25 touchdown passes in those two seasons, with 50 TD passes total and 7,204 passing yards. That was at Purdue.
So Bryce Underwood would have reason to be excited about this hire. Brohm coached Jack Plummer and Tyler Shough, a second-round draft pick, to consecutive seasons with over 3,000 passing yards and 20 touchdowns. He's also won 27 games in three seasons with the Cardinals.
Brohm hasn't gotten much buzz, but like Fisch, he wouldn't be a bad floor. You wonder if some buzz will start picking up now that Fisch is out of the running.
4. Kyle Whittingham, Utah
The Utah head coach, for one final bowl game at least, has thrown his hat into the ring. If he was 60 instead of 66, he would probably have better odds of being the next Michigan football head coach.
However, Whittingham has won three conference titles in his career. He's got a track record, and when Cam Rising was his quarterback, the offense was pretty dynamic, too.
One thing about Whittingham is that he would give Ryan Day a run for his money. Michigan would go from having possibly the worst head coach in the Big Ten, to one of the best, tactically.
Recruiting and QB development, at least as far as it relates to Bryce Underwood, are questions he would need to answer. But is there a better head coach candidate tailor-made to stop an explosive offense like Ohio State than Whittgham, the man who succeeded Urban Meyer?
If the idea is to beat Ohio State, and it is. Whittingham makes sense. He's probably more qualified to do that than anybody from this list, but can he coach until he's 70? Curt Cignetti is 64.
3. Jesse Minter, Chargers
My reservations about Minter are about how long he would stay. If Jesse Minter took the Michigan football job, it feels like there would be a ton of NFL buzz, just like with Jim Harbaugh.
That's not the worst thing in the world. The concern is that Minter bolts for the league after 3-4 seasons. He would also need to hire an offensive coordinator to help recruit Bryce Underwood to stay, but if anyone knows how to beat Ryan Day, it's Minter.
Minter has been part of the conversation, but with Fisch out, he has to become a more realistic candidate, as long he actually wants the job.
2. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
DeBoer has said no twice. Michigan still thinks there's a chance. The Wolverines seem inclined to wait until after Alabama plays Oklahoma. If the Tide wins that game, it will probably signal the end of a pursuit that should have maybe ended already.
DeBoer still has a lot of buzz on the Michigan side. That's why he's ranked here, but I'd be stunned if he was the next head coach.
1. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State
Dillingham would kill it as Michigan football head coach. He's a dynamic recruiter, a great leader, and would a great representative for the Wolverines moving forward.
It feels like he's the favorite. A lot can change, but Dillingham is still the most likely candidate to be chosen as the Wolverines' next leader.