Biff Poggi endorses Michigan hire of Kyle Whittingham: 'Proven winner'

Michigan football has found its next head coach to replace Sherrone Moore with the hiring of Utah football’s Kyle Whittingham.

It’s a hire by Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel that has current interim coach Biff Poggi’s stamp of approval. Though the university has not officially announced Whittingham’s hire at the time of this writing, the Detroit Free Press has confirmed ESPN’s report that it is a five-year deal for the 66-year-old coach, which will reportedly pay him an average of $8.2 million per year.

REQUIRED READING: Michigan has 5-year deal with Utah’s Kyle Whittingham to be next coach

“Michigan Football is in GREAT hands under Kyle Whittingham. … ” Poggi wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Dec. 26. “Proven winner, true gentleman, tough nosed Michigan coach of days gone by. Great hire by Warde Manuel. The kids will love him. Exciting days ahead for Michigan.”

“We have work to do over (the) next five days. Texas is excellent. GoBlue.”

Poggi is expected to carry out his interim head coach tag in Michigan’s Citrus Bowl matchup against Texas at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The Wolverines announced they landed in Orlando at 8:44 p.m. ET on social media, over an hour after Poggi commented on Whittingham.

According to multiple reports, Whittingham is expected to join the Wolverines on Saturday, Dec. 27 in Orlando for their bowl prep. With the expected arrival of Whittingham on Saturday, the long-time Utah coach seems as though he will not coach the Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 31.

He was expected to step down after the Las Vegas Bowl after 22 seasons in Salt Lake City. But he later clarified on Thursday, Dec. 18 that he wasn’t retiring and was instead “in the transfer portal.”

The Citrus Bowl will be the third game this season that Poggi will serve as the interim head coach. He led the team in Weeks 3 and 4 during Moore’s two-game suspension for his involvement in the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal. Poggi, a longtime high school coach, is in his second stint as the associate head coach at Michigan.

REQUIRED READING: Kyle Whittingham is perfect fix for all wrong with Michigan football

Poggi told reporters during the team’s final media availability on Tuesday, Dec. 22 that he wanted the job as the permanent head coach at Michigan, and that he wanted to “fix the program.”

Ultimately, Michigan landed on Whittingham to take over for Moore, who was fired with cause by the university on Wednesday, Dec. 10 after a university investigation found he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. He was arrested that same day and charged on Friday, Dec. 12 with three charges, including a third-degree felony for home invasion.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Biff Poggi endorses Kyle Whittingham hiring by Michigan football

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