Kirk Herbstreit praises Michigan after hiring Kyle Whittingham as next head coach

Kirk Herbstreit had a lot of praise for Michigan after they hired former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. The long time ESPN college football analyst has a lot of respect for Whittingham.

“Congrats on a fantastic hire,” Herbstreit wrote on Twitter/X. “Couldn’t have hand picked a better coach to reestablish the Michigan brand.”

Michigan hired Whittingham, who stepped down at Utah after over two decades, in the aftermath of the Sherrone Moore scandal. Moore was fired ahead of the team’s bow game this postseason.

After 21 seasons at Utah, Whittingham opted to step away from the program following the conclusion of the 2025 season, in which the it compiled a 10-2 record. At the time of Whittingham’s departure from Utah, he was the second-longest tenured head coach in the country, behind just Iowa‘s Kirk Ferentz (27 seasons).

The San Luis Obispo, CA native took over the program in a tough spot, as head coach Urban Meyer departed for the Florida opening, leaving Whittingham to coach the Utes in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl. No. 6 Utah dominated No. 21 Pittsburgh 35-7, which led to Whittingham getting the promotion from defensive coordinator to head coach.

The move worked out swimmingly, as Whittingham established Utah as one of the most consistent programs in all of college football over the past two decades. Across his 21 seasons at the helm, he led the Utes to a 177-88 record with three conference championships (1x MWC, 2x Pac-12), eight ten-win seasons, and an 11-6 bowl record.

Whittingham won’t coach Utah in their bowl game this year and instead pivot to immediately working with the Wolverines this postseason. It’s probably just as well considering the fires that needed to be put out after Moore was fired due to an inappropriate relationship with a staffer and subsequent arrest.

“I am grateful to our administration, staff, players, and coaches for their commitment, trust, and hard work throughout the years,” Whittingham said in a prepared statement. “This university and football program mean a great deal to me, and I am proud of what we have built together. I appreciate the support from the University of Utah allowing me to step away at this time. I also want to thank our fans. Your loyalty, passion, and support have been second to none.

“Whether at Rice-Eccles Stadium or representing Utah across the country, you have made this time special and created memories that will last a lifetime. Utah will always hold a special place in my heart, and I wish Coach Scalley and the program a smooth transition and continued success moving forward. Thank you for everything.”

Whittingham signed a five-year contract with Michigan that will pay him an average of $8.2 million per year. His contract is also 75% guaranteed, which means his 2026 salary is expected to be $8 million.