‘Kyle Whittingham to Michigan…’: Blockbuster move predicted amid Sherrone Moore-Paige Shiver saga

Kyle Whittingham is stepping down as Utah coach after the Las Vegas Bowl on December 31

Published on: Dec 13, 2025, 04:23:08 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Kyle Whittingham is stepping down as Utah coach after the Las Vegas Bowl on December 31. While the 66-year-old will serve as a special assistant in Utah, a blockbuster move made rounds on social media, linking the winningest coach to Michigan. This comes as the Wolverines fired Sherrone Moore for having an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with a staffer, who The New York Post identified as his executive assistant Paige Shiver.

Kyle Whittingham head coach of the Utah Utes talks into his headset during the second half of their game against the Brigham Young Cougars (Getty Images via AFP)

Moore was charged with three crimes on Friday, including felony home invasion and stalking.

Whittingham, who served as coach of the Utes for 21 seasons and secured 177 wins, said: “The time is right to step down from my position as the head football coach at the University of Utah. It's been an honor and a privilege to lead the program for the past 21 years, and I'm very grateful for the relationships forged with all the players and assistant coaches that have worked so hard and proudly worn the drum and feather during our time here.”

"The opportunity to guide so many talented young men as they pursued their goals - both on and off the field - has truly been a blessing."

Whittingham finished with a winning record in 18 of his 21 seasons, including a 10-2 mark this season. He was the national Coach of the Year in 2008 after leading Utah to a 13-0 mark and Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama to finish with a No. 2 ranking.

While a potential Michigan move seems far-fetched, fans want that. According to the Athletic’s Stewart Mandel, Whittingham could be interested in other opportunities. He had eight 10-win seasons and an 11-6 record in bowl games. His first career victory came in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 2005, when Utah completed a 12-0 season after Urban Meyer had departed the school for the Florida gig. Whittingham had been the defensive coordinator.

He was the second-longest-tenured coach behind Iowa's Kirk Ferentz, who recently announced he was returning for a 28th season in 2026.

"The legacy that Kyle Whittingham leaves distinguishes him as one of the most impactful figures in the history of Utah Athletics," Utah athletic director Mark Harlan said. “As the head coach or as an assistant, Coach Whitt played a pivotal role in the most historic and successful seasons in program history and established championship expectations. Perhaps more importantly, he established a legacy of tremendous character, integrity and class. Kyle Whittingham will forever be appreciated and cherished for his leadership and achievements with Utah Football.”

(With inputs from Reuters)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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