Jeff Brohm (Head Coach, Louisville): Brohm is 94-56 overall as a head coach, which feels like a high number of wins for a guy who's 54. He has been head coach at Western Kentucky, Purdue, and now his alma mater, Louisville. Brohm is known for gutsy calls and fun play designs, but regardless of where he's been, he seems to find a way to lose four games per year. In fact, in twelve seasons as a head coach, five of them have ended with four losses. Brohm played quarterback at Louisville, so he may not be willing to abandon his alma mater. I don't think the culture shock would be as high as it was for Rich Rodriguez when he came to Michigan, but the backlash from Louisville could be similar to when Rodriguez left WVU to head to Ann Arbor.
Kyle Whittingham (Unemployed): Whittingham has been rumored to be an option for Michigan the last couple times the job has opened, but nothing ever materialized. Whittingham attended BYU and played some linebacker in the NFL before spending his entire coaching career in Idaho and Utah. He had been the head coach for the Utes ever since Urban Meyer left Utah for Florida, and he was defensive coordinator for Utah for ten years prior to that. Meyer (who's a good football coach but a questionable human) said Whittingham is a top-five coach in college football. My contention is that if Whittingham had the juice to be a head coach, he should be doing it at Utah - where he was 10-2 this season - instead of somewhere else. How much gas is left in the tank for a guy who's 66 years old and has never worked anywhere east of the Rocky Mountains?
Jesse Minter (Defensive Coordinator, Los Angeles Chargers): Minter is a former Michigan defensive coordinator (2022-2023) who helped Michigan earn a national championship in 2023 before heading to the Chargers with Jim Harbaugh. There's really no doubt that he could put together an elite defense, but he has no head coaching experience. One thing I like about Minter is that he's a football lifer, someone who grew up as the son of former Cincinnati head coach Rick Minter. It's kind of like my affinity for players who used to play quarterback; there's a certain baseline of competence and intelligence. Minter might be able to be an NFL head coach next year, so perhaps coming back to college and dealing with all the recruiting and such year-round isn't his ideal.
Biff Poggi (Interim Head Coach, Michigan): Poggi was a key component of Jim Harbaugh's staff, coming in as somewhat of a consultant. He then left to become head coach at Charlotte, where he was doomed to fail and did. This year he came back to try to help Sherrone Moore, which . . . well, you know. Poggi reportedly has been telling people that he wants the head job at Michigan, but wanting it and getting it are two different things. I don't think a serious program can give Poggi a head coaching job at this point. He seems like a great dude and went 2-0 as Moore's replacement to start the 2025 season, but it would be the gamble of all gambles.
Hive mind the past couple of weeks at MgoBlog with all prospective coaches being compared with Moore. For smart guys, why didn't they compare prospects to Campbell, Fitz, and Day? Fitz was a top prospect when we got Harbaugh. Honest question-why aren't fans being disappointed that Fitz wasn't available still? Now it's KW per the news. Last question, would you rather have Fitz, Campbell, or KW?
Can't have fitz at Michigan right now given his controversies. Mediocre Matt has less of a resume than Brohm. Wittingham is squeaky clean, proven, and safe. Big question is what he can do outside of Utah. But he brings stability where it's needed. Hopefully personnel loses on O are limited but defense will need to be rebuilt.
Yes, I understand the hazing thing about Fitz, but he was cleared. I appreciate you answering though because I am very curious on why Fitz is going unnoticed. It's so odd that MGoBl9g has almost 100% focus on KW vs Moore, and 0% on KW vs Fitz.
So, amend my question, Fitz, Campbell, or KW, with Fitz's issues eliminated?
I think KW in weak Pac-10 to Fitz in weak west division were similar 10 years ago. Now? KW's age is much of a wild card as is if we hired a coordinator without HC experience.
Put it this way, if Moore had been fired a month earlier, would we be talking Fitz, with the hypothetical that the regents would stick up for him, or the false charges were never filed? In this thought experiment, I think most fans would be much more excited about getting Fitz. Yes, in the hypothetical, KW announces his departure in November, so it's Fitz vs KW.
Looks like Kyle is the guy. Let's get him here, improve this garbage coaching staff, get a QB coach, and roll. We just vastly improved our coaching staff vs going into 2026 hoping Moore would flip the switch and figure it out, even against all odds ( I had 80/20 against). This worked out about as good as can be hoped. My first pick would have been a more high risk/lower floor, infinite ceiling move, like getting a super genius coordinator with a Harvard coaching education (ie, Smart/Cignetti tree) but Kyle is fine. The key is getting a good staff. (notice no one was trying to poach wink?) We just went from having one of the worst HC in the B10 to a top 5 and a guy that can be as good as anyone. Lets rock!
I love the OC rumor, and am perfectly fine with the DC talk too
I would like to keep Alford & reassign Newsom. On D, I'm open. For continuity I wouldn't be upset at either of Esposito or Morgan, even both of they got help
I hated this coaching search, and would have hated being a part of it
my first thought was: the ASU coach. I love how they play, and see a ton of promise. But I had never heard him talk until recently, and he was one of the few people I've listened to who sound as weird as Harbaugh. But at least JH was our prodigal son ... disaster was almost as likely as success
I didn't like big parts of every other suggestion, and seems to have leaned on Whittingham as the safest & best fit
Of the four on your list, I would go with Whittingham.
ReplyDeleteAny talk of Minter is just wish-casting. It's not going to happen.
Poggi isn't going to happen either.
Brohm will do no better with the Michigan resources than he did with Purdue.
Agree
DeleteMinter was always in the same boat as Freeman & Cignetti
Hive mind the past couple of weeks at MgoBlog with all prospective coaches being compared with Moore. For smart guys, why didn't they compare prospects to Campbell, Fitz, and Day? Fitz was a top prospect when we got Harbaugh. Honest question-why aren't fans being disappointed that Fitz wasn't available still?
ReplyDeleteNow it's KW per the news.
Last question, would you rather have Fitz, Campbell, or KW?
Can't have fitz at Michigan right now given his controversies. Mediocre Matt has less of a resume than Brohm. Wittingham is squeaky clean, proven, and safe. Big question is what he can do outside of Utah. But he brings stability where it's needed. Hopefully personnel loses on O are limited but defense will need to be rebuilt.
DeleteWhittingham, easy. I wanted Fitz even less than I wanted Brohm, which was not at all
DeleteThunder for head coach! Thunder for head coach! :-)
ReplyDeleteI accept. You can pay me like $3 million per year and then fire me after one season. I'll bring back Rich Rodriguez's 3-3-5 and run the Wing T.
DeleteYes, I understand the hazing thing about Fitz, but he was cleared. I appreciate you answering though because I am very curious on why Fitz is going unnoticed. It's so odd that MGoBl9g has almost 100% focus on KW vs Moore, and 0% on KW vs Fitz.
ReplyDeleteSo, amend my question, Fitz, Campbell, or KW, with Fitz's issues eliminated?
I think KW in weak Pac-10 to Fitz in weak west division were similar 10 years ago. Now? KW's age is much of a wild card as is if we hired a coordinator without HC experience.
Whittingham easy. Fitz wasn't as good as folks make him out to be, unless they're stuck in the early to mid 2o1os
DeletePut it this way, if Moore had been fired a month earlier, would we be talking Fitz, with the hypothetical that the regents would stick up for him, or the false charges were never filed? In this thought experiment, I think most fans would be much more excited about getting Fitz. Yes, in the hypothetical, KW announces his departure in November, so it's Fitz vs KW.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Kyle is the guy. Let's get him here, improve this garbage coaching staff, get a QB coach, and roll. We just vastly improved our coaching staff vs going into 2026 hoping Moore would flip the switch and figure it out, even against all odds ( I had 80/20 against).
ReplyDeleteThis worked out about as good as can be hoped.
My first pick would have been a more high risk/lower floor, infinite ceiling move, like getting a super genius coordinator with a Harvard coaching education (ie, Smart/Cignetti tree) but Kyle is fine.
The key is getting a good staff. (notice no one was trying to poach wink?)
We just went from having one of the worst HC in the B10 to a top 5 and a guy that can be as good as anyone.
Lets rock!
I love the OC rumor, and am perfectly fine with the DC talk too
DeleteI would like to keep Alford & reassign Newsom. On D, I'm open. For continuity I wouldn't be upset at either of Esposito or Morgan, even both of they got help
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI hated this coaching search, and would have hated being a part of it
ReplyDeletemy first thought was: the ASU coach. I love how they play, and see a ton of promise. But I had never heard him talk until recently, and he was one of the few people I've listened to who sound as weird as Harbaugh. But at least JH was our prodigal son ... disaster was almost as likely as success
I didn't like big parts of every other suggestion, and seems to have leaned on Whittingham as the safest & best fit
All kinds of feelings. Glad it's (almost) over
Agree ... it's good to have this over with. I can't wait to read the (hopefully) accurate after-account reports of what actually happened.
Delete