Report: Jay Hill plans to leave BYU to become Michigan’s defensive coordinator under Kyle Whittingham

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Kyle Whittingham’s move to Michigan is shaking up BYU’s coaching staff.

Cougars defensive coordinator Jay Hill will leave Provo to accept the same position with the Wolverines, according to a Sunday report from Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.

Michigan is planning to hire BYU’s Jay Hill as its new defensive coordinator under Kyle Whittingham, sources tell @CBSSports.

Hill, who has a longstanding relationship with Kyle Whittingham, led the way as BYU finished its season ranked top 25 nationally in scoring defense. https://t.co/hoW9kYAe3kpic.twitter.com/HuS7WUphmP

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 28, 2025

Hill is now reunited with Whittingham, who he both played and coached under for 15 combined seasons at Utah.

In three years at BYU, Hill transformed the Cougar defense from one of the worst units in the country into one of the best, ranking first within the Big 12 in scoring defense over the past two campaigns (19.4 points per game).

In 2024, BYU led the country in interceptions with 22, and in 2025 the Cougars racked up their highest sack total (30) since 2016.

Prior to his time at BYU, Hill was Weber State’s head coach from 2014-22, going 68-39 with the Wildcats and winning four Big Sky Conference championships.

With Hill’s departure to Michigan, a number of current BYU players and coaches could potentially end up in Ann Arbor, and Kalani Sitake will now need to find a new defensive coordinator for the Cougars as well.

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