Michigan coaching search: Pete Thamel reveals latest on key three candidates for Wolverines

Two weeks to the day that Michigan parted ways with head coach Sherrone Moore due to cause, the program has yet to hire a new football coach. The clock is certainly ticking, as the Transfer Portal officially opens on Jan. 2.

As the search continues, ESPN’s Pete Thamel joined Wednesday morning’s edition of ‘Get Up‘ to offer an update. Along with revealing that he doesn’t believe that Michigan will make a hire this week, Thamel offered a new list of three prime candidates: Missouri‘s Eli Drinkwitz, Washington‘s Jedd Fisch, and former longtime Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham.

“It’s been two weeks from today since Michigan fired Sherrone Moore on that Wednesday night, and in that time, Michigan has engaged in early conversations with a group of candidates,” Thamel said. “I do not expect Michigan to make a hire this week, certainly not before Christmas, and immediately after Christmas doesn’t seem likely as well.”

“So, pushing forward on Michigan, here’s what we know about where they are. There’s three candidates right now that I think are in their crosshairs; that’s Eli Drinkwitz (the Missouri coach), Jedd Fisch (the Washington coach), and obviously soon-to-be former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham.”

“Those are considered gettable coaches for Michigan, but they all come with complications. Drinkwitz has a bowl game on the 27th and Fisch has a roster he’s attempting to retain at Washington. With the Portal, it’s a high-stakes game of Poker when every single college football player essentially is a free agent come Jan. 2.”

Michigan is seeking sixth coach in past 31 seasons

The list of candidates is certainly interesting, as Drinkwitz and Fisch have repeatedly shut down claims that they were listening to job offers elsewhere. Whittingham, who stepped down from Utah following his 20th season in charge, however, offered a completely different sentiment last week.

“I’m a free agent, I’m in the transfer portal,” Whittingham said. “Like I said, I’m at peace and I did not want to be that guy that overstayed his welcome with people just saying, ‘Hey, when’s this guy gonna leave?’ That was not my intention, ever. I hope I didn’t do that. I’m sure with some people, I did do that, but the timing to me, the timing is right.”

While Whittingham seems to be the most viable option right now, Fisch is the lone coach of the three with ties to the Michigan football program. He previously served as their quarterbacks coach, wide receivers coach, and passing game coordinator from 2015-2016.

Whether Drinkwitz, Fisch, or Whittingham is the hire, the program needs to move swiftly as college football’s version of free agency opens in just nine days.