The College of Michigan employed outgoing Utah coach Kyle Whittingham to guide the scandal-plagued Wolverines soccer program Friday, just a little greater than two weeks after the surprising dismissal and arrest of coach Sherrone Moore.
This system introduced the hiring choice Friday night time and mentioned Whittingham’s five-year contract will run by the 2030 season.
Michigan Athletics Director Warde Manuel mentioned that all through the seek for a brand new coach, Whittingham “persistently demonstrated the qualities we worth at Michigan: imaginative and prescient, resilience, and the power to construct and maintain championship-caliber groups.”
“Kyle brings not solely a confirmed monitor file of success, but additionally a dedication to making a program rooted in toughness, physicality, self-discipline and respect — the place student-athletes and coaches characterize the college with distinction each on and off the sector,” he mentioned in a written assertion saying the deal.
Whittingham introduced two weeks in the past that he was stepping down because the Utah’s winningest coach — although the 66-year-old did not rule out teaching once more.
“My household and I are thrilled to hitch the College of Michigan neighborhood, and we stay up for serving to our gamers develop, develop, and attain their highest potential — on the gridiron, within the classroom, and as leaders,” Whittingham mentioned the assertion Friday. “It’s a privilege to be a part of one thing that evokes pleasure in each Wolverine fan.”
It has been extensively reported that Whittingham was leaving his submit at Utah after greater than 20 years to make manner for defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley, who had been employed in July 2024 because the “head coach in ready.”
Had Whittingham returned for the 2026 season, it might have marked a 3rd 12 months of Scalley as a named successor. Scalley will now take over this system, Utah Athletics Director Mark Harlan mentioned in a press release.
Harlan thanked Whittingham for his contributions and wished him the very best in his new position.
“After discussions with Coach Whittingham, his representatives and the College of Michigan, we now have granted their request to permit him to hitch the Michigan program instantly,” he mentioned.
Michigan President Domenico Grasso described Whittingham as “precisely the proper match for the College of Michigan at the moment.”
Michigan, main faculty soccer’s winningest program, is looking for to proper a ship that’s been rocked by scandal.
After two seasons as head coach, the varsity introduced on Dec. 10 that Moore was “terminated, with trigger, efficient instantly.”
“Following a college investigation, credible proof was discovered that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a workers member,” the varsity mentioned. “This conduct constitutes a transparent violation of College coverage, and UM maintains zero tolerance for such habits.”
After he was fired, Moore allegedly confronted the feminine staffer and threatened to hurt himself, telling her “my blood is in your palms” and that she had “ruined my life,” prosecutors mentioned.
Moore, 39, was charged with house invasion, stalking and breaking and getting into.
On Nov. 20, 2023, Michigan suspended soccer analytics assistant Connor Stalions after the varsity discovered that he allegedly had opponents’ sidelines videotaped in order that the Wolverines might decode indicators.
Michigan dominated the Washington Huskies, 34-13, on Jan. 8, 2024, at NRG Stadium in Houston to win the nationwide title — although the sign-stealing scandal has taken some luster off that championship ring.
The NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers employed Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh two weeks later.
Former assistant soccer coach Matthew Weiss was indicted and accused of breaking into the digital accounts of three,300 college students to obtain their intimate images and movies, federal prosecutors mentioned March 30.
The Wolverines, in hiring Whittingham, get a coach who has led a usually scandal-free program that is been profitable two-thirds of its video games with out the glamour or sources of West Coast friends like USC and Oregon.
His future as head coach of the Utes started when City Meyer left Utah to take the highest job at Florida at the top of 2004.
Whittingham was 177-88 (.668) on the helm in Utah with three 10-win seasons previously 5 campaigns.
It wasn’t instantly clear whether or not Whittingham would deliver any of his Utah assistants with him to Ann Arbor, a typical observe when head coaches swap jobs in faculty soccer.
Whittingham’s deputies embody 14th-year cornerbacks coach Sharrieff Shah, whose student-athletes performed a key position in Utah’s sturdy cross protection this season.
Shah is married to former “Actual Housewives of Salt Lake Metropolis” star Jen Shah.
No. 15 Utah will play Nebraska on Wednesday within the Las Vegas Bowl. Michigan, led by interim coach Biff Poggi, will face No. 13 Texas that day within the Citrus Bowl.
