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Michigan lands Kyle Whittingham, not UW’s Jedd Fisch, for coaching job

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Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham, right, congratulates quarterback Luke Bottari, left, after he led a scoring drive during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (Rick Egan / AP)

Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham, right, congratulates quarterback Luke Bottari, left, after he led a scoring drive during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (Rick Egan / AP)

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Andy Yamashita

By Andy Yamashita Seattle Times staff reporter

Kyle Whittingham is set to become the next head coach for Michigan football. The longtime Utah coach has agreed to a five-year deal with the Wolverines, the school confirmed Friday evening.

The hire was first reported Friday morning by ESPN’s Dan Wetzel and Pete Thamel.

Whittingham’s deal will pay him an average of $8.2 million per season with 75% of the contract guaranteed. Whittingham is expected to make $8 million in 2026, ESPN reported. 

The Wolverines have been searching for a successor for Sherrone Moore, who was fired for cause Dec. 10 after an investigation found he was engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. Michigan’s decision to pursue Whittingham means Washington will be expected to retain coach Jedd Fisch for a third season. 

Fisch, who spent two years as an offensive assistant under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan from 2015-16, was named on several lists as a potential candidate at Michigan almost immediately after Moore was dismissed. Thamel mentioned Fisch as one of three realistic options for the Wolverines as recently as Wednesday. 

The Huskies won nine games during Fisch’s second season in 2025, and are 15-11 during his two-year tenure after he was hired to replace Kalen DeBoer, who departed for Alabama days after leading UW to the College Football Playoff championship game during the 2023 season. 

Advertising Skip AdSkip AdSkip Ad Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch looks on as Washington warms up for their game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights Friday October 10, 2025 at Husky Stadium in Seattle. (Nick Wagner / The Seattle Times)

Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch looks on as Washington warms up for their game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights Friday October 10, 2025 at Husky Stadium in Seattle. (Nick Wagner / The Seattle Times)

Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch looks on as Washington warms up for their game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights Friday October 10, 2025 at Husky Stadium in Seattle. (Nick Wagner / The Seattle Times)

After guiding a depleted UW roster to bowl eligibility during his first season in 2024, Fisch and the Huskies showed improvement throughout the 2025 campaign. 

They finished with a winning record in the Big Ten and a winning record on the road. Sophomore quarterback Demond Williams Jr. enjoyed a strong first season as a starter, finishing fourth in the Big Ten in yards passing and touchdowns passing while leading Washington to a dominant victory against Boise State in the LA Bowl. And UW’s run defense showed massive improvements under defensive coordinator Ryan Walters. 

However, UW went 0-3 against teams currently ranked in the College Football Playoff poll — No. 2 Ohio State, No. 5 Oregon and No. 18 Michigan — and scored just 27 points combined during the three games. 

The Huskies signed 25 high school prospects during the early signing period in December, which is considered the No. 12 recruiting class in the nation. It’s the highest-rated group UW has signed since 1999, when modern recruiting websites began tracking the information. 

But Fisch, the architect of UW’s quick resurgence following DeBoer’s departure, caught the attention of other programs. Along with Michigan, Fisch was connected to coaching searches at UCLA and Florida, his alma mater. He signed a seven-year contract at UW before the 2024 season that ties him to the Huskies through the 2030 season. 

Since winning the LA Bowl on Dec. 13, Fisch has been attempting to maintain UW’s roster entering what is expected to be a strong season in 2026.

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Williams is expected to return for his second full season as a starter after proving the flashes he showed as a freshman in 2024 were maintainable for an entire season in 2025. UW will have an experienced offensive line with multiple returning starters in 2026 and an intriguing defense poised to take another jump during Walters’ second season. 

And Washington can add to its roster by utilizing the transfer portal, which officially opens Jan. 2. The Huskies likely will seek reinforcements for their defensive line and potentially their secondary. They currently have 10 players who’ve announced intentions to enter the transfer portal — most notably running back Adam Mohammed, defensive tackle Bryce Butler and wide receiver Raiden Vines-Bright. 

Whittingham spent more than two decades coaching Utah, guiding the Utes from the Mountain West to the Pac-12 and then the Big 12. He’s won three conference championships and has a 66.8% win percentage during his career. Whittingham announced he was stepping down earlier this month, but made it clear he was not retiring. 

No. 15 Utah is scheduled to play Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31. Current Ute defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley was announced as Whittingham’s successor at Utah on Dec. 13.

Andy Yamashita: ayamashita@seattletimes .com. Andy Yamashita is a sports reporter at The Seattle Times, primarily covering Washington Huskies football.

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