If you had told a Michigan fan two months ago that Sherrone Moore would be gone and a 66-year-old Utah legend would be the one walking the sidelines in Ann Arbor, they’d have probably asked you to pass whatever you were drinking. Yet, here we are. It’s January 2026. The dust from Moore’s chaotic December firing has finally settled, and the Michigan Wolverines news and rumors mill is spinning faster than a Bryce Underwood spiral.
Honestly, the vibe around Schembechler Hall is weirdly... calm? After the scandal-laden exit of Moore and the interim stint by Biff Poggi, Kyle Whittingham has brought a "grown-up in the room" energy that this program desperately needed. But don't let the calm fool you. Behind the scenes, the roster is being overhauled, the coaching staff looks like Utah East, and the transfer portal is basically a revolving door.
The Bryce Underwood Factor: No QB Coach?
Let’s talk about the biggest bombshell to drop this week. Kyle Whittingham sat down with Urban Meyer—yeah, it’s still weird seeing those two be friendly—on The Triple Option podcast and spilled some tea that has fans losing their minds.
According to Whittingham, Bryce Underwood played his entire freshman season without a dedicated quarterback coach.
Think about that for a second. The No. 1 recruit in the country, a 17-year-old kid with the weight of the Big Ten on his shoulders, was basically out there winging it on pure talent. Whittingham noted that Underwood's mechanics actually regressed as the 2025 season went on. It explains a lot about those nine interceptions and the shaky footwork we saw in November.
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Whittingham has already moved to fix this. He brought in Koy Detmer Jr. as the dedicated QB coach and Jason Beck as the offensive coordinator. These guys are "quarterback whisperers." If they can smooth out Underwood's fundamentals, the ceiling for this kid is nonexistent. He’s already got the rushing stats—nearly 400 yards and six scores on the ground last year—but the passing needs that professional polish.
The Utah-to-Ann-Arbor Pipeline
People were worried that a coaching change in December would lead to a total roster collapse. And sure, we lost some guys. Jayden Sanders headed to Notre Dame (which hurts, let’s be real), and TJ Metcalf and Jaden Mangham are gone too. But Whittingham is effectively replacing them with his own guys from Salt Lake City.
The "Utah Wolverines" are becoming a real thing. Just look at the recent portal commitments:
- Smith Snowden (CB): This is the crown jewel of the defensive transfers. He’s a top-50 portal player who started 23 games at Utah. He’s likely going to slide right into the nickel spot.
- John Henry Daley (EDGE): An All-American caliber pass rusher who tied for the FBS lead in tackles for loss at one point last season. He’s the immediate answer to the departure of Derrick Moore, who officially declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.
- JJ Buchanan (WR/TE): A 6-3 weapon who led all freshman tight ends in receiving yards last year.
It’s a smart play. Whittingham is bringing in players who already know his "toughness-first" culture. It shortens the learning curve. Instead of teaching 100 players a new system, he has a dozen "lieutenants" on the field who can show the others how it's done.
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Retention Wins: Keeping the Core
While the new arrivals are flashy, the real Michigan Wolverines news and rumors that matter involve the guys who didn't leave. Keeping safety Jordan Young out of the portal was a massive win for new DC Jay Hill. Young was looking at USC and UCLA but decided to stick it out in Ann Arbor.
Then there’s the offensive line. Seeing Blake Frazier, Jake Guarnera, and Andrew Sprague stay put is a relief. They started as freshmen, which is almost unheard of at Michigan. If those three develop together under Jim Harding, the 2026 offensive line could actually be Joe Moore Award material again.
Staffing Reality: The Bridge to the Past
Whittingham isn't completely cleaning house, though. He’s kept a few "bridge" coaches. Tony Alford is staying as running backs coach, which is why we didn't see Jordan Marshall or Savion Hiter bolt for the portal. Alford is arguably the best recruiter on the staff right now.
He also kept Lou Esposito (DL) and Kerry Coombs (Special Teams). It’s a bit of a Frankenstein staff—a mix of Utah stalwarts, Moore holdovers, and even some Penn State flavor with Marques Hagans. It shouldn't work on paper, but Whittingham has four decades of experience making things work.
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What’s Next: The Road to Spring Ball
The next few weeks are all about the January 16th portal deadline. If Michigan can get through Friday without any more surprise entries, they are in great shape.
The focus then shifts to winter conditioning. Whittingham is known for a brutal strength program. We’re going to see a lot of "who can survive" stories coming out of the weight room in February.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Watch the Jan 16 Deadline: Keep an eye on the defensive line depth. If one more starter leaves, the Daley signing won't be enough.
- Monitor Bryce Underwood’s Mechanics: Any clips from spring practice (starting in March) should be scrutinized for his release point and footwork under Detmer.
- Check the Secondary Rotations: With Smith Snowden in the mix, see if Jyaire Hill moves outside permanently or if they rotate heavily in the nickel.
The Sherrone Moore era ended in a way no one wanted, but the "Whitt" era is starting with a level of professional discipline that might just be the secret sauce for 2026.