Michigan football is staring down the clock, and the clock isn’t blinking.
It’s been two full weeks since Athletic Director Warde Manuel fired Sherrone Moore, and the Wolverines still don’t have a head coach. The calendar, meanwhile, is sprinting.
The transfer portal opens on January 2, and the longer this search drags out, the more Michigan risks losing players to other programs. Manuel had hoped to have this wrapped up before the Citrus Bowl on December 31.
That deadline is looming large-and slipping fast.
In the meantime, Biff Poggi is still holding the reins as interim head coach. And every day Michigan doesn’t name a permanent replacement, Poggi’s odds of keeping the job go up.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel said it plainly this week: Poggi is no longer just a placeholder. He’s in the conversation, whether Michigan planned it that way or not.
Let’s rewind for a moment. Moore was fired on December 10 following an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.
Days later, he was arrested on charges that include felony home invasion, misdemeanor stalking, and misdemeanor breaking and entering. That left Michigan in scramble mode, and Poggi-at 66, a seasoned football mind-was tapped to steady the ship.
Poggi hasn’t been shy about what he thinks of the current state of the program. Speaking to reporters on Monday, he called Michigan “a malfunctioning organization,” and made it clear he’s not here just to keep the seat warm.
“Everything that happens in this building has to be reevaluated,” he said. “I know what the hell I’m doing.
Before I smoke myself to death with cigars, I want to fix it.”
That’s not your typical interview pitch. It’s raw.
Honest. And whether you agree with the delivery or not, it’s hard to argue with the urgency.
Manuel, for his part, addressed the team Monday and told them he still wants a hire in place between Christmas and the Citrus Bowl matchup against Texas. That gives Michigan just a few days to make a move.
But options are shrinking. Kenny Dillingham just re-upped at Arizona State.
Kalen DeBoer is still coaching Alabama in the College Football Playoff and isn’t expected to leave anytime soon.
So where does that leave Michigan?
According to reports, the search isn’t close to wrapping. That could mean a few things: maybe Manuel is targeting someone still coaching in a bowl game or the playoff. Or maybe-and this is the concern-it means the department doesn’t have a clear plan in place.
That uncertainty is starting to bleed into recruiting. Poggi told reporters something that likely made Manuel wince: even though the portal doesn’t officially open until January 2, recruiting is already happening.
And Michigan doesn’t have many players locked into long-term commitments. One who is?
Five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood. But even he is waiting to see who the next coach will be before making any final decisions.
To make matters more complicated, Manuel isn’t just hunting for a new head coach. The entire athletic department is under investigation by an outside law firm, and the football program is still dealing with the fallout from the NCAA’s sign-stealing probe, which led to probation earlier this year.
So no, this isn’t just about finding the right football mind. It’s about stabilizing a program that’s been hit with scandal, turnover, and uncertainty-all in the span of a few months.
The longer this goes on, the more Michigan risks losing control of the narrative-and possibly, control of the roster. The transfer portal waits for no one. And right now, Michigan is running out of time.