3 takeaways from Kyle Whittingham’s first Big Ten Media Days appearance
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Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham took the podium at Big Ten Media Days for the very first time on Thursday in Chicago, offering insight into his quarterback, the culture he’s trying to build, and his vision for the Wolverines entering the 2026 season.
While Whittingham touched on a variety of topics, three themes stood out to me.
Whittingham is confident in his QB
Whittingham made it clear he believes sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood has all the tools to become one of the nation’s elite signal callers. After winning nine games as a true freshman in 2025, Underwood entered the offseason with lofty expectations. Whittingham acknowledged those expectations last year may have been unrealistic given Underwood’s age and lack of college experience, but he also emphasized the progress the former five-star has made since the new staff arrived.
“First of all, I think the expectations might have been a little high for him last year,” Whittingham said. “He just turned 18 years old, true freshman, thrust into the starting role of the Michigan Wolverines.
“He’s got everything you want: 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, runs about a 4.6 40. Has a cannon for an arm, throws well on the move. He has a very high ceiling. It think he’s going to turn out to be a very successful quarterback at Michigan.”
Whittingham also revealed where the coaching staff has focused its attention this offseason, citing improvements in Underwood’s footwork, pocket presence and progression reads. More notably, Whittingham hinted that the offense will be built around maximizing Underwood’s athleticism.
“One thing about Bryce, he does a really good job of throwing accurate balls on the move,” Whittingham said. “We’ve got to make sure we as coaches structure that in, change the launch point for him. Also involve him in the run game. He’s a very capable runner. A lot of what we did with Devon Dampier last year at Utah is what you’re going to see Bryce doing this year.”
That could be one of the biggest things we’ve heard this offseason about how offensive coordinator Jason Beck plans to run Michigan’s offense in 2026.
Michigan won’t abandon its identity
Although Whittingham hinted at a more dynamic offense with Underwood under center, he also made it clear Michigan’s physical identity isn’t changing. Asked what type of defense succeeds in the Big Ten, Whittingham quickly pivoted to what he believes wins football games regardless of conference.
“You better be able to stop the run,” he said. “To me, that is universal in football. The key to playing great defense is turn a team one-dimensional by taking away the run, getting them in third-and-long, and when they’re in third-and-long, get after the quarterback. It’s a pretty simple equation. That will be no different here at Michigan.”
Whittingham then pointed to Utah’s success last season, where the Utes finished No. 2 in the country in rushing offense. That is the type of offensive formula he intends to bring to Ann Arbor.
“Conversely, we have to be able to run the football,” he said. “Last year at the place I was, University of Utah, we were second in the nation running the football. If you run the football and defend the run, your chances of success go way up, so I think that’s going to be a key.”
That philosophy has long defined Whittingham’s coaching career and aligns with Michigan’s traditional blueprint for success.
Stability is just as important as wins
Whittingham inherited a program that has spent much of the last two seasons dealing with coaching changes, investigations and off-field distractions. Throughout the press conference, he repeatedly returned to one message: it’s time for Michigan to get back to playing football.
“The players at Michigan right now, they’re hungry and ready to get back in a season,” Whittingham said. “They’ve been through a lot in the last four or five years. Hopefully we can put the drama to bed and just get back to being student-athletes and having a great college experience.”
Later, when asked what stability could mean for a program that still managed to win nine games last season, Whittingham praised the resilience of his players.
“Winning nine games under the circumstances really speaks to who they are as young men, their character, their ability to focus and handle adversity,” Whittingham said.
Rather than dwell on the controversies that preceded his arrival, Whittingham emphasized academics, recruiting and football as the priorities moving forward. The goal moving forward is to eliminate distractions, establish consistency and hopefully see results follow.
What things stood out to you during Whittingham’s time with the media in Chicago? Let us know down in the comments section.
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