Kyle Whittingham Shares Rosy Outlook for Michigan at Citrus Bowl

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The Michigan Wolverines made Kyle Whittingham their next head coach this past Friday heading into December 31’s Citrus Bowl against Texas, which will be coached by interim head coach Biff Poggi.

The hiring of Whittingham gives the Wolverines a proven winner at the college level whom former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer once called the best head coach in college football.

Following the announcement, Whittingham joined the Wolverines in Orlando and shared his vision for the program going forward that caught the attention of fans on social media.

Whittingham Joins Busy Wolverines

Whittingham joined Poggi and the Wolverines in preparation for their showdown against Arch Manning and the Longhorns and shared a message to fans on Saturday evening.

The Wolverines brought a strong contingent of players to the Sunshine State and many expressed their excitement in meeting the new head coach.

“Michigan fans, Coach Kyle Whittingham,” the Wolverines’ new leader said.

“Honored to be here, honored to be the football coach of this great university, can’t wait to get working with our players, getting to know them, and getting Michigan football to where it should be,” Whittingam added in a video shared by the Wolverines’ official X account.

Fans React to Whittingham Intro

Fans reacted following Whittingham’s introduction to Wolverine nation.

“Alright let’s get a skinny M hat,” one said about the Wolverines tradition for head coaches as Whittingham wore a different type of hat.

“Get your own defensive coordinator, Jay Hill is BYU,” another said about Whittingham’s rumored forthcoming choice for the gig.

“This is just simply awesome,” another person said.

“He’ll be fired in three years,” another said, questioning his ability to beat Ohio State.

“Hope Coach Whitt enjoys Ann Arbor!” another said. “I know I miss it everyday, since I graduated.”

Whittingham Must Face Demanding Fanbase

The Wolverines’ demanding fanbase will be challenging for the team’s new head coach to satisfy after three straight Big Ten championships and a national championship under Jim Harbaugh followed by two subpar years from departed coach Sherrone Moore.

Whittingham is 11-6 in bowl games and led his former team the Utah Utes to a 13-0 season in 2008 with a Sugar Bowl win.

He won the Mountain West title in 2008 with the Utes and back-to-back Pac-12 titles in 2021 and 2022.

Whittingham also led Utah to two Rose Bowl appearances and a signature win over Alabama in 2009 with rosters most fans would say have had lesser talent compared to Michigan’s.

He led Utah to a 10-2 record this season before stepping down on December 12.

Shifting from Utah to Ann Arbor brings with it big expectations and the potential for the type of culture shock that former Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez experienced before exiting the Wolverine State in disappointing fashion.

Whittingham’s experience level and long history of success makes it likely that this coaching experiment will bear fruit, but there’s plenty of work to do and few know that as well as the Wolverines’ new head coach.

Related: Michigan Football Makes Sweeping Practice Changes Leading Up to Texas Game

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the College section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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