Despite an ongoing investigation into the athletic department and an interim president running the show, Kyle Whittingham didn’t let either affect his choice to come to Michigan:
Kyle Whittingham was introduced as Michigan’s new head football coach on Sunday morning in Orlando. and he spoke at length about the culture and style of play he hopes to employ in Ann Arbor. However, he did mention he’ll be playing more of a background role the first few days as Michigan’s 2025 team spends its last few days preparing for Texas in the Citrus Bowl.
While Whittingham is working in the background, something else will be going on in the background back home in Ann Arbor, as the law firm Jenner and Block investigates the culture and operations of the football program and athletic department. The investigation was launched shortly after the firing of Sherrone Moore, and interim president Domenico Grasso vowed to leave “no stone unturned” as the school tries to weed out any further instances of misconduct.
Of course, this also comes on the heels of several controversies surrounding Michigan’s athletic programs the last several years under Warde Manuel’s leadership, including the sign-stealing investigation and the men’s hockey team’s culture issues under Mel Pearson to name a few.
Whittingham, however, was unfazed by the ongoing investigation and its unsure leadership structure with an interim president currently in charge. When asked it either affected his decision to take the job, he said it didn’t and that his focus will lie with the football team.
“I didn’t have any hesitation,” Whittingham said. “The key is the players — none of those issues, none of those things that we’re dealing with involved the players. I have no doubt that everything is going to be handled properly. I’ve got full confidence that we’ll come out of this just fine.”
In addition to expressing confidence the program will make it through the investigation without any major hurdles, he expressed enthusiasm for the job and program’s history – citing them as reasons for wanting to come to Ann Arbor. He referred to it as a one of the most storied programs in all of college football and mentioned it as only one of a few that he would have been willing to listen to after leaving Utah.
After Michigan plays in its bowl game on Wednesday, the real work will begin as he tries to establish his roster, coaching staff, and culture. Similar to what Michigan has tried to employ over the past several years, Whittingham mentioned the need for placing the team first and focusing on the players. Furthermore, he was confident that all the outside noise and what’s going on for a leadership standpoint at the university shouldn’t get in the way of that.
“My culture is gonna be with the players and that’s what I’m concerned with,” Whittingham said. “That’s were my focus is. I’m a football coach. I focus on coaching the team, and everything will be handled in due time and in due process.”
Michigan should have a resolution in the investigation soon, as the results are expected to be released in mid-January. A full-time president is expected to be announced at about the same time, according to John U. Bacon.
Category: General Sports
