Kyle Whittingham has become the new head coach of the Michigan Wolverines. Previously, he was the head coach of the Utah Utes from 2005 to 2025. In December, he stepped down from his position in Utah.
Over the last few weeks, rumors started to emerge that the Wolverines were trying to sign Whittingham as their next head coach. Many college football pundits stated that he’d be the right fit for the program.
Josh Pate, on the other hand, doesn’t see it as such a monumental hire. Pate had trouble believing the news in the first place. On a recent episode of Josh Pate’s College Football Show, he said that he never thought he’d see Whittingham in Michigan.
Apart from the shock, he said that Michigan has definitely upgraded, though it’s not a major shift. Considering they were with Sherrone Moore, Whittingham is an excellent hire. But Pate still needs to see some results before he puts his stamp on it.
“I still think Kyle Whittingham, until someone convinces me otherwise, seems like a bridge coach to me. Doesn’t seem like the long-term solution to any kind of problem you have up there,” Pate said.
Whittingham is 66 years old. One could question whether he will be a long-term solution for the program. Pate believes that Whittingham can still give them a good five-year run, but then they’ll be looking for his replacement again.
If we just focus on where the program has been in the last few months, a stable five-year run doesn’t seem like a bad deal. The Wolverines need to protect their players and staff from the upcoming transfer portal, and the presence of a great coach might help them with that.
Paul Finebaum Approves of Kyle Whittingham’s Hiring
While Pate has his doubts, Paul Finebaum approves of Whittingham in Michigan. Yesterday, when he wasn’t officially hired by the Wolverines, Finebaum talked about why Whittingham would be the best fit for the program.
Finebaum referred to the turmoil the program has been through and the lack of culture in their current setup to make a case for Whittingham.
“You talk about culture, what program in America needs somebody who is strong in culture than the University of Michigan. So I think more than anything else, he brings respect back to a program that has lost almost all of it,” Finebaum said.
Whittingham brings a ton of experience as a head coach and a great winning record, 177-88 in 21 years. More importantly, he’s never been a part of any controversy in his run. That’s exactly what the Wolverines need.
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