It’s been a whirlwind few weeks in Ann Arbor, and the turbulence around Michigan football isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
Two weeks after Sherrone Moore was fired for cause, the Wolverines are still searching for their next head coach-and the process has been anything but smooth. The latest name to surface is Jeff Brohm, but just like Kenny Dillingham before him, Brohm could very well decide to stay put at Louisville. That would leave Michigan back at square one, still hunting for a leader to stabilize a program that’s clearly in flux.
In the meantime, there’s still a bowl game to play.
Michigan will take the field in the Citrus Bowl on December 31 against Texas, and the man leading them will be Biff Poggi. Poggi, who served as associate head coach under both Jim Harbaugh and Sherrone Moore, stepped in as interim head coach twice this past season. Now, he’s back in that role again-this time with the added weight of a major bowl game and a depleted roster.
And when we say depleted, we mean it.
Poggi didn’t mince words during a recent appearance on The Stampede, a Texas-based podcast. “I don’t know how many we’ll come with, quite frankly,” he said, estimating that as many as 25 Michigan players might not suit up for the Citrus Bowl.
That’s a staggering number. While some absences are expected this time of year-between injuries, NFL Draft prep, and the now-common opt-outs-25 is a massive hit for any program, let alone one already navigating a leadership vacuum.
Of course, Michigan isn’t alone in this. Bowl season has increasingly become a showcase for younger players and a testing ground for depth charts.
Dabo Swinney recently said Clemson could be down close to 30 players for the Pinstripe Bowl. It’s the new normal in college football, where the postseason outside of the Playoff often feels more like a spring game than a final exam.
Still, for Michigan, the timing couldn’t be worse.
This is a program in need of direction-both on the field and in the locker room. The coaching search has yet to yield a clear answer, and the uncertainty is bleeding into the roster.
Poggi has expressed interest in the permanent job, but as of now, he’s a placeholder. Whether he’s a serious candidate or simply keeping the ship afloat remains to be seen.
And while Poggi’s comments didn’t name specific players, the implications are real. If high-profile names like Bryce Underwood or Jordan Marshall are among those sitting out, that could raise red flags about their long-term plans with the program.
Momentum matters in college football. Right now, Michigan is trying to hold onto what little it has left.
The Citrus Bowl may not carry championship implications, but for the Wolverines, it’s a critical moment. It’s a chance-however limited-to show resilience, to rally around a temporary leader, and to give fans a reason to believe that stability is on the horizon.
Because right now, Michigan’s biggest opponent isn’t Texas. It’s uncertainty.