Urban Meyer Reveals Initial Reaction to Michigan Hiring Kyle Whittingham

On December 26, the Michigan Wolverines announced the hiring of Kyle Whittingham following his departure from the Utah Utes, where he had served as head coach for 21 seasons.

Whittingham signed a five-year deal with the program after Michigan parted ways with Sherrone Moore on December 10 due to an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

Now, months into his new role, Whittingham's close friend and former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer shared his initial reaction upon hearing the news. Meyer went 7–0 against Michigan during his tenure with the Buckeyes.

"I'm a Buckeye, so my first thought was, ‘What?'" Meyer said. "He's my friend - Kyle and I are really close - but it didn't take long for me to put two and two together. Not only did I tell him I thought it was a great move, but it was exactly what that school in Ann Arbor needed. They fell into the perfect guy."

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Meyer and Whittingham spent two seasons together at Utah, with Whittingham serving as defensive coordinator on Meyer's staff before Meyer left for the Florida job after the 2006 season. That departure ultimately led to Whittingham being named the program's head coach.

"I've had some good resources," Whittingham said back in December. "You know, Urban Meyer - I don't know if that's a four-letter word in this room or not - but Urban and I are very tight. I got some counsel from him. He's been a few places, and the key is to get guys you trust."

One thing about Meyer is that even in retirement, he has remained closely connected to the programs he's coached. That will put him in quite the predicament when the Buckeyes face the Wolverines, as he'll be watching his former team take on one of his closest friends in the sport.

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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 8:09 AM.