Biff Poggi reveals when Michigan wants to make a hire in coaching search

Michigan‘s head coaching search continues as the Wolverines prepare for the Citrus Bowl vs. Texas on New Year’s Eve. Biff Poggi has been named interim head coach in the wake of Sherrone Moore’s firing.

Meeting with the media on Monday, Poggi revealed the updated timeline for athletic director Warde Manuel to name the next Michigan coach. Poggi was told to expect a decision to be made by the end of the calendar year.

“Warde Manuel just spoke to the kids today,” Poggi said. “Still working through it, but I know he wants to have something done by the bowl game.”

That gives the Michigan AD just over a week to make his decision. Whether that will be in-house or from elsewhere remains to be seen.

However, the timing of the incident was less than ideal. The coaching carousel had already taken place and many of the top names this cycle have already been swooped up by other programs. This leaves Michigan with less options to choose from had this been a traditional coaching search.

Poggi said he’s up for the task, emphatically stating that he knows “what the hell I’m doing,” during Monday’s press conference. The 65-year-old coach has been in the industry since 1987 and spent nearly two decades coaching high school football before joining Michigan’s staff in 2016 and later re-joining from 2021-22. He was brought back this offseason as the associate head coach on Moore’s staff.

He did serve as Michigan’s interim head coach for two games during the 2025 campaign: a 63-3 win over Central Michigan and a 30-27 road victory at Nebraska while former head coach Sherrone Moore faced suspension. He’ll be the team’s interim head coach in their showdown against Texas in the Citrus Bowl.

“I have one job right now, and that’s what Warde told me to do — to love and care for the kids. That’s it,” Poggi said. “We do know something about football. I’ve probably been the head coach for 300 games in high school and college. Football is football.

“Right now, it’s not about winning a game. It’s not about auditioning. It’s not about anything. It’s about focusing on these kids and their families, and that’s it. That was my mandate, and that’s what I’m trying to do every single day.”

As for if he wants to be the next head coach at Michigan? The answer is clear.

“Absolutely,” he said. “It’s Michigan.”