Michigan have reached an agreement with Kyle Whittingham to become the university’s next head football coach, according to a report by ESPN, turning to one of the most experienced figures in the sport to steady a programme rocked by scandal. Whittingham, 66, has agreed to a five-year deal that is expected to be formally announced later on Friday.
The move comes weeks after Whittingham stepped down from his long-held position at Utah, where he spent 21 seasons as head coach, compiling a 177-88 record and leading the Utes to an unbeaten 13-0 campaign in 2008. When he announced his departure, Whittingham made clear he was not retiring, joking publicly that he was entering “the transfer portal”.
Michigan’s vacancy emerged after the abrupt dismissal of Sherrone Moore, who was fired earlier this month following an internal investigation that found “credible evidence” of an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. Within hours of his firing, Moore was arrested and later charged with home invasion and stalking a person he had previously dated. He spent two nights in jail before being released.
Moore, 39, had signed a five-year contract last year worth $5.5m annually, but under the terms of the deal, Michigan will not owe a buyout because he was fired for cause. His attorney, Joe Simon, said there was “no evidence to suggest he’s a threat”.
