Michigan’ football’s Kyle Whittingham wants to ‘put the drama to bed’

CHICAGO – Michigan football coach Kyle Whittingham wasn’t here for any of it, but he’s heard about all of it.

The NCAA’s investigation – and suspensions – for analyst coaching and recruiting violations during the coronavirus pandemic’s dead period. The investigations – and suspensions – for banned scouting and sign-stealing practices. Various alleged off-field crimes – including a federal arrest of former offensive coordinator Matthew Weiss. And, of course, Sherrone Moore’s firing over an inappropriate relationship with his executive assistant.

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Yes, Michigan has been in the headlines for non-football reasons for much of this decade.

And now, Whittingham is ready to make the headlines exclusively about what happens on grass.

REPLAY: Michigan football coach Kyle Whittingham makes Big Ten Media Day debut

“They’ve been through a lot the last four or five years,” Whittingham said of U-M’s seniors at Big Ten football media day on Thursday, July 30. “But hopefully we can put the drama to bed and just get back to being student-athletes and having a great college experience.

“It’s reality, there has been a lot of drama. … We hope we’ve come to the end of that and we’re ready to proceed with the business of playing football, winning football games, graduating players and putting the emphasis on things that should have the emphasis.”

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Michigan had three player representatives in Chicago for the Big Ten’s media event: quarterback Bryce Underwood, running back Jordan Marshall and defensive tackle Trey Pierce. Of those three, only Pierce was on the team in 2023 when Connor Stalions’ sign-stealing scheme was underway. Pierce has been in Ann Arbor for a College Football Playoff championship and two underwhelming seasons and now is playing for his third head coach in four years.

He has seen incredible highs and embarrassing lows − but with Whittingham, he said, the tolerance for nonsense present in recent years has entirely disappeared.

“I’m super-excited,” Pierce said of. “I would say he raised the attention to detail and also risen with the age of the team. We’re more experienced, so we know what we have to do.”

A common phrase from those around Whittingham since his arrival in Ann Arbor is the program adding an “adult in the room.” Almost every player who spoke during spring practices cited increased accountability and attention to detail − particularly in the weight room.

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That continued Thursday, when the playing face of U-M’s program acknowledged it had previously been lacking.

“They’ve been very demanding,” Underwood said. “That’s what we’ve been needing.”

Whittingham is confident Michigan’s narrative has changed. He not sure if it’s his job to be a stabilizing force in the athletic department, he said, but within Schembechler Hall, it’s one of his most important roles.

He understands why, given the litany of issues, it may take some time to earn back the public’s trust. But since Day 1, he has been impressed with the attitudes of the Wolverines. That’s one reason he believes U-M can demonstrate that the scandals are a thing of the past.

“I think it can change pretty quickly, and especially when it’s the drama is not player-driven,” Whittingham said. “The players are doing what they’re supposed to do. They’re doing the things that they’ve you know recruited to do … unfortunately, the drama came from the adults.

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“In a lot of ways, they’re to be commended for how they handled it. But to answer your question, yeah, I believe we can put that aside and in the rearview mirror rather quickly. We already have to a certain extent, and the only way to do it is just keep proving it every day that you’re just doing the right things, you’re not, you know, creating controversy and having distractions, and just taking care of your business the right way.”

Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at ap******@*******ss.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan’ football’s Kyle Whittingham wants to ‘put the drama to bed’