The Wolverines’ heavily-covered coaching search to replace former coach Sherrone Moore — who was fired on Dec. 10 after the university found ‘compelling evidence’ he was engaged in an inappropriate relationship — has netted the program former Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham.
Whittingham is viewed as an immediate upgrade for the Wolverines, not only for his long-standing success at Utah across 22 seasons, but also for his sterling off-the field record — a stark contrast to Moore, who was arrested on the same day as his firing and, on Dec. 12, was officially charged with home invasion, stalking, and breaking and entering.
Whittingham has not been tied to any major scandals, and will be tasked with helping restore the reputation for a Michigan program that, despite its standing as one of college football’s most storied institutions, has been mired in controversy for several years, including under Moore’s predecessor, Jim Harbaugh.
With Michigan and Whittingham reportedly finalizing their deal to send the Utes coach to Ann Arbor, Michigan, here’s what to know about his reported contract, salary details and more:
Kyle Whittingham contract details
According to Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press — part of the USA TODAY Network — Michigan has agreed to a five-year deal. According to a report by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the contract is 75% guaranteed.
Kyle Whittingham salary at Michigan
Per Thamel, Whittingham’s contract has an average annual value (AAV) of $8.2 million over the lifetime of the contract. He is expected to make $8 million in salary in 2026. According to data from USA TODAY’s coaching salary database, Whittingham in 2025 made $6.925 million. That ranked 33rd among coaches at public universities.
Using the same database, Whittingham’s reported 2026 salary would rank 21st among all college football coaches at public institutions. It would rank eighth among the Big Ten’s coaches.
Kyle Whittingham age
Whittingham, born Nov. 21, 1959, is 66 years old. He will be 71 years old at the end of his coaching contract at Michigan, assuming he remains employed at the university for its entire duration.