Biff Poggi says he was right there at the finish line for the Michigan football job, and that the race came down to him and Kyle Whittingham.
Speaking with Jordan Strack on a Blue By 90 Podcast, Poggi said he “thought” he was going to land the position.
“It came down to me and Kyle. It was hard because I really thought I was going to get it.
I had four interviews, they all went really well, I was getting really positive feedback from the search guy. It was all going very well,” Poggi said to Strack on a Blue By 90 Podcast.
Poggi also said he was a serious candidate for the job, with he and Whittingham serving as the finalists.
Poggi’s name is already familiar to Michigan fans. He was named the interim head coach after Sherrone Moore was fired and coached three games last season in that role, finishing 2-1.
There was at least one bright spot during that stretch: Bryce Underwood played well under Poggi. Underwood was given room to run, including in the Nebraska game, and he accounted for three touchdowns - two passing and one rushing - before throwing three interceptions in the bowl game against Texas.
Still, Poggi’s overall résumé at the college level is thin. He was fired in his second season at Charlotte, though that program is not an easy one to fix. Before that, he was an important part of the Harbaugh era, returning to Michigan’s staff before the 2021 season.
The idea of Poggi getting the full-time job never made much sense to some observers, and the source material makes clear that view was shared here. It felt like another continuity hire, similar to the way Michigan chose Sherrone Moore, and that path did not work out.
One argument in Poggi’s favor was that the transition might have been smoother. He did not keep offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey on staff before the bowl game, and that is one reason keeping Poggi around could have made some sense.
But between Poggi and Whittingham, the call was Whittingham. That decision hasn’t delivered the way Michigan hoped, but there are still four games left, and the Wolverines could still surprise over the final month.
With the athletic director search just beginning, it’s difficult to imagine Whittingham being fired after this season unless Michigan loses out. Even then, the question becomes who would actually make that call, since removing Whittingham and his staff would cost millions.
For now, the hope is simple: Whittingham can adjust, and Jason Beck can too.
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Michigan Hiring Story Feels Bigger After Biff Poggis Latest Reveal
Michigans coaching search took on a different shape this week after Biff Poggi said he was a finalist for the job before Kyle Whittingham was hired. Poggi had already become a familiar face in the program after stepping in as interim head coach during Sherrone Moores absences, and then again after Moore was fired ahead of the bowl game against Texas following an inappropriate relationship with a staffer. His latest reveal only adds another layer to a transition that has already been unusually turbulent.
Poggi also made clear hes backing Whittingham as he settles into the job, even while acknowledging the challenge of adapting to the Big Ten. For Michigan, its another reminder that the coaching change was never just about one hire, but about how the program steadies itself after a messy stretch and hands the keys to someone new. [Read more 🡒]
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Mike Boynton Jr. has pointed to the adjustments Michigans players need to make if they want to compete with a team like UConn, and that starts with more production from the right people at the right time. The Wolverines do not need a perfect night to make this one interesting, but they do need key scorers to assert themselves against a defense that rarely gives away easy answers. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Enters Rivalry Week With One Huge Chance To Change Everything
Rivalry week has a way of sharpening every detail, and Michigan is heading into this one with plenty to clean up and plenty to gain. The Wolverines are set to host Michigan State with both sides looking for a jolt, while Michigans offense keeps working to tighten the connection between quarterback Tommy Carr and receiver Andrew Marsh.
On the other side of the ball, the defense is expecting reinforcements with John Henry Daley and Dom Nichols on the way back, which only adds to the intrigue of how this matchup might tilt. There is also no shortage of game-changing possibilities attached to Michigans defense and special moments waiting to happen, from Chris Bracy in the backfield to Rod Moore and Jyaire Hill in the passing lanes, with Savion Hiter another name to watch if the Wolverines can turn this rivalry into a statement day. [Read more 🡒]