Michigan AD hoping Kyle Whittingham hire will bring 'steadiness'
It's been a successful but tumultuous few years for Michigan sports. Athletics director Warde Manuel is hoping that will be a thing of the past.
The last few years have been filled with highs and lows for Michigan athletics. On one hand, the Wolverines won national championships in football in 2023 and in basketball this past season. However, not every development has been positive for the athletics department, particularly the football program.
The school received NCAA sanctions over the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal, and former assistant coach Matt Weiss was indicted for federal crimes. Then, in December, head coach Sherrone Moore was fired after an investigation revealed an inappropriate relationship with a staffer. He was subsequently arrested after allegedly breaking into the staffer's home.
He later pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors. Michigan replaced him with Kyle Whittingham, who was previously the longest-tenured coach in the FBS at Utah. Speaking to the media at the Big Ten spring meetings, athletics director Warde Manuel said he's hoping for stability in the program .
"I always aim for steadiness, believe me," Manuel said, per ESPN. "This is not anything that I've desired or wanted or hoped for, but I deal with it, and then you know my goal as a leader is to provide the steadiness to ... the rest of the department, and my staff, and student-athletes, and I think I and we have done that as a department in the organization.