Michigan football finds Sherrone Moore's successor weeks after controversy
Michigan fired Moore earlier this month
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kyle Whittingham is the next head coach of the Michigan Wolverines football program with a reported deal coming weeks after the university fired Sherrone Moore for what officials described as an "inappropriate relationship" with a staffer. Moore was later arrested.
Whittingham and Michigan agreed to a five-year contract, ESPN reported Friday.
He will take over for Biff Poggi, who was named the interim head coach after Moore was dismissed. Poggi made his case to take over the job in the last week.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham watches the team warm up before a game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Rice-Eccles Stadium Sept. 20, 2025. (Rob Gray/Imagn Images)
Whittingham will be the fifth head coach since Lloyd Carr retired after the 2007 season.
Whittingham announced earlier this year he would step down as the head coach of the Utah Utes after 20 seasons. He expressed interest in continuing his coaching career and quickly became one of the handful of coaches who were possible Moore successors.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Whittingham, 66, served under Ron McBride and Urban Meyer at Utah. He had been with the program since 1994, when he first started out as a defensive line coach. Michigan will be the second head coaching stop for him. He is 177-88 all time.
2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL TRANSFER PORTAL TRACKER: WHO ARE THE TOP NAMES EXPECTED TO ENTER?
Sherrone Moore of the Michigan Wolverines during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium Nov. 22, 2025, in College Park, Md. (Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
Michigan is considered one of the top football jobs in the country despite the scandals that have plagued the school in recent years. One of the biggest included a sign-stealing scandal that led to the suspension of Jim Harbaugh. Moore also served a suspension as part of an NCAA investigation.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Through it all, Michigan won the national championship behind J.J. McCarthy in 2023. The Wolverines were 15-0 that season, going undefeated for the first time since 1997 under Carr. The Wolverines won the national championship that year as well.
Whittingham will be called upon to right the ship that has been rocking for the last few weeks.
Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham, right, argues a call with field judge Matt Mills during the second half of a game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Oct. 18, 2025. (Rob Gray/Imagn Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Wolverines will play in the Citrus Bowl Dec. 31 against the Texas Longhorns.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.