As good as it was for Michigan football to hire Kyle Whittingham as its next head coach, that hire will only be as good as the hires he's able to make to his staff.
In order to keep Bryce Underwood, Whittingham will need a solid offensive coordinator, one with a proven ability to work with quarterbacks. That would help retain some other players on the roster, too.
There is always a fine line between bringing in the best coaches available, while trying to maintain some of the current staff for roster continuity or recruiting.
Whittingham doesn't have many ties to Michigan or the Midwest. Some of his Utah staff did, but that might be an area where the current staff members help shore things up.
One thing seems clear: money won't be an obstacle. Wink Martindale was one of the highest-paid defensive coordinators in college football. Whittingham should have money to spend, and here are our predictions for his coaching staff.
Defensive coordinator: Jay Hill
There is a lot of momentum behind Jay Hill, the BYU defensive coordinator. He's worked for Whittingham before. He also had a successful eight-year stint as the Weber State head coach, winning four conference titles before moving to BYU.
The Cougars have had a top-20 scoring defense in each of the past two seasons under Hill. This feels like a sure bet at this point, with all of the buzz, but it would still be a very strong start for Whittingham.
The latest reports indicate this is close to being done.
Offensvie coordinator/QB Coach: Jason Beck
Even before Whittingham was announced as the Michigan football head coach, there were reports of Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck being targeted as the Wolverines' offensive coordinator.
Beck was on Whittingham's staff at Utah for one season, coming over from New Mexico. Utah had the 5th-ranked scoring offense in college football (41.1 points per game). The Utes averaged 478 yards per game.
Beck has a history of doing good work with quarterbacks at places like Syracuse, Virginia, and New Mexico. It hasn't been announced yet, but there hasn't been any reporting to suggest he isn't coming after being identified as Whittingham's top target.
The OC hire is key to keeping Bryce Underwood, and it feels like this would do the trick. No other names have been mentioned at this point, probably for a reason. Koy Detmer Jr. would probably come along. He would be an analyst/QB coach, which could be another selling point for Underwood.
RB Coach: Tony Alford
It seems like Tony Alford will be back. His father worked for Whittingham. So there are some ties there, and Alford is elite at what he does. He's also been essential in the recruitment of Savion Hiter.
WR Coach: Ron Bellamy
There is chatter about other WR coaches, but Bellamy did a solid job in 2025. Andrew Marsh had a great freshman season, and Bellamy has done well on the recruiting trail in recent classes.
Beyond that, there's no need to rock the boat. Losing Bellamy could mean losing Marsh or some other wide receiver signees. That doesn't mean they couldn't be replaced. Yet, the Michigan staff needs to have some staffers from the state, so Bellamy makes sense.
TE Coach: Freddie Whittingham
Kyle Whittingham's brother has been the Utah tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator for the past 10 years. He's expected to follow his brother to Ann Arbor.
Offensive line: Jim Harding
From Maumee, Ohio, Jim Harding has been the offensive line coach for Kyle Whittingham, dating back 12 years. He's recognized as one of the elite offensive line coaches in college football. During his tenure with the Utes, he's had nine first-team all-conference selections and six draft picks.
It's not guaranteed that Harding will come. If not, Grant Newsome will likely be retained, but another veteran O-line coach to replace Juan Castillo could be needed.
Defensive line: Lou Esposito
There's no reason to move on from Esposito. He's done a great job on the recruiting trail, and with overall development the past two seasons.
His son, a 2027 recruit, also said he was "excited to work with Whittingham," which probably reflects the attitude of his dad. Esposito has ties to the Midwest, something Michigan football still needs, and he's a strong recruiter/developer of talent.
No-brainer.
LB: Seth Wallace
This is a bold prediction. However, there have been rumblings about Whittingham targeting the Iowa assistant head coach, Seth Wallace.
Wallace has coached linebackers, cornerbacks, and worked with the defensive line during his time on the staff. He's also been the recruiting coordinator.
It would be a coup for Whittingham. Brian Jean-Mary, the current coach, would also be fine. Wallace would be a home run, though, flat out.
Secondary coach: Lamar Morgan
Morgan is another dynamic recruiter who did well with his charges in the secondary. There is a bunch of young talent at cornerback and safety, thanks to Morgan. Unless Whittingham has a guy who he really feels would be an upgrade, there's no reason to walk away from a good coach, sort of like Esposito.
Special teams: Kerry Coombs
Coombs was hired by Sherrone Moore right before he was fired. That makes his status difficult to discern.
However, Whittingham, like Coombs, is a former Urban Meyer assistant. There's that connection, plus Coombs is a stellar recruiter. He's got ties to the Midwest, is from Ohio, and has been spent decades coaching in college and the NFL.
Beyond his history as a special teams coordinator, which was his title at Ohio State for five seasons, Coombs has been a defensive coordinator and a successful cornerbacks coach.
A staff with Bellamy, Esposito, Morgan, Alford, and Coombs as the holdovers makes sense, although that might be too many. That would shore up the Midwest, could help prevent some departures, and would be a great mixture of on-field coaching and recruiting acumen.