Michigan coaching search: Joel Klatt calls his shot on who will be next Wolverines coach

It was announced Wednesday night that Sherrone Moore had been fired as Michigan‘s head coach. He took over for Jim Harbaugh in 2024 and led the Wolverines to a 16-8 record in the full-time role.

On3 confirmed Wolverines players were abruptly called for a team meeting, where they learned of the news. Michigan AD Warde Manuel then announced the decision was for cause after a university investigation found “credible evidence that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member” in a statement. Biff Poggi will serve as the interim head coach.

The University will have to move fast to find a replacement, as the NCAA Transfer Portal opens on Jan. 2. As the search begins, FOX Sports‘ Joel Klatt called his shot on who will be Michigan‘s new head coach. During his monologue on the latest edition of ‘The Joel Klatt Show,’ Klatt claimed that the choice would either be Vanderbilt‘s Clark Lea, Texas A&M‘s Mike Elko, or Arizona State‘s Kenny Dillingham.

Joel Klatt tosses out three potential candidates for Michigan opening

Whoever the University hires as its new head football coach will be its sixth of the 21st century. That list includes Lloyd Carr, Rich Rodriguez, Brady Hoke, Jim Harbaugh, and Sherrone Moore.

“I believe that one of these names that I’m going to tell you right now will be the next head coach at Michigan,” Klatt said. “That’s just what I believe. Here we go. Here’s the calls. Clark Lea from Vanderbilt. I think that his toughness, his history at Notre Dame as a defensive coordinator, so it’s not like he’s just a die in the wool SEC guy. Listen, I understand that they’re having success and he wants to stay at Vanderbilt, but Michigan is Michigan. It’s better than Vanderbilt. If Lane Kiffin can leave Ole Miss to go to LSU, you can certainly leave Vanderbilt to go to Michigan. The resources at Michigan are great. Clark Lea has been an excellent coach at Vanderbilt, and you’d absolutely call him.”

Lea took over a floundering Vanderbilt program in 2021 and helped lead the Commodores to their best season in program history just four years later. This past season, Vanderbilt compiled a 10-2 record, its first 10-win season ever.

“I know this man just signed an extension, but I’d call Mike Elko,” Klatt continued. “Mike Elko seems to really understand the way to build a program the right way. A&M hasn’t really had a ton of success in their history. Their fans get all mad at me when I say this, but it is true. A&M has been just a bit above .500 for most of their time. They’ve been kind of a middle-of-the-pack conference team, whether it was in the Big 12 or the SEC, outside of a couple of years they’d jump up. He seems to have built something that will seemingly last longer than just a one or two-year thing, so Mike Elko would get a call.”

Elko just finished his second regular season at Texas A&M, where he led the Aggies to a 11-1 (7-1) record. His program is just weeks from embarking on its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance.

“Kenny Dillingham at Arizona State is about the right things,” Klatt concluded. “He’s seen it up close and personal. He’s coached at Oregon, and now he’s done it as a head coach. He went and won a Championship at Arizona State, and really succeeded in the Playoffs. That’s something right there. I know he said he would never leave. But, those are three guys that I would call.”

Dillingham led the Sun Devils to their first-ever Big 12 Championship last season. He is considered one of the brightest young coaches in the sport.