Michigan Stays Locked In Ahead of Citrus Bowl Despite Coaching Turmoil
ORLANDO, FL - In a college football landscape where bowl opt-outs have become almost routine, Michigan is bucking the trend. Despite a whirlwind month marked by coaching uncertainty and transition, the Wolverines showed up to their first Citrus Bowl practice nearly at full strength - a testament to the program’s culture and the leadership holding it together.
Interim head coach Biff Poggi had initially downplayed the number of expected opt-outs earlier in the week, predicting just three. But on a podcast with Texas legends Mack Brown and Vince Young, he later hinted the number could balloon to 25 if a new head coach wasn’t named soon. That crisis was averted with the hiring of Kyle Whittingham, though Poggi is still set to coach the Citrus Bowl.
And when Michigan hit the practice field at West Orange High School, the turnout spoke volumes. Aside from the three known opt-outs - defensive lineman Derrick Moore, linebacker Jaishawn Barham, and offensive lineman Gio El-Hadi - the only absences were running back Justice Haynes and linebacker Ernest Hausmann.
Haynes has been sidelined since October with a broken foot but is expected to rejoin the team before the bowl game. Hausmann continues to deal with a personal matter that also kept him out of the final two regular-season games.
In a year where bowl rosters across the country are being gutted by opt-outs and transfers, Michigan’s ability to stay intact is notable. And it didn’t happen by accident.
Staying Together When It Would’ve Been Easy to Split
Linebacker Cole Sullivan summed it up best: “You could either go one of two ways - stay together or break apart. We don’t want to break apart. That was really the only choice we had.”
That sense of unity has been the glue during a chaotic December. Coaching changes, social media speculation, and the usual postseason distractions could’ve easily derailed the team’s focus.
But instead, the Wolverines leaned into their locker room culture. Sullivan described the bond among teammates as more than just words - “We always tell each other we love each other.
It’s not something we just say.”
That brotherhood has been reinforced by the staff still in place. Even with the knowledge that many assistants may be moving on once Whittingham assembles his new crew, the current coaches have stayed locked in on the task at hand.
Running back Bryson Kuzdzal credited Poggi’s immediate presence after the coaching shakeup as key to keeping the team on track. “Once everything [with former coach Sherrone Moore] happened, it’s like, ‘Is everything going downhill from here?’”
Kuzdzal said. “I think it was smart that Biff came in right away - we never really went down at all.”
A Roller Coaster Month, But the Goal Remains the Same
Sullivan admitted it’s been a “roller coaster of emotion” over the past few weeks. Between the coaching transition and the ever-present noise of the transfer portal, the team has had every reason to lose focus.
But instead, they’ve circled the wagons. The chance to notch a 10th win - and send the current staff out on a high note - is a powerful motivator.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen with these coaches, so we want to end it the right way for them,” Sullivan said. “Hopefully they get to come back, but that’s out of my control.
I’ve been praying for them every day. I’m just extremely grateful for them.”
That gratitude has translated into energy on the practice field. After a few days off during the holidays, the Wolverines returned with fresh legs and renewed focus.
Quarterback Bryce Underwood put it simply: “Playing football is our fun. Playing our game, and any way possible we can be good, that’s what we’ll do.”
Whittingham’s Arrival Marks the Beginning of a New Era
While Poggi and the current staff guide Michigan through the Citrus Bowl, the program’s future is already beginning to take shape. New head coach Kyle Whittingham is set to be introduced in Orlando on Sunday - a pivotal moment with the NCAA’s transfer portal rules in play.
The two-week portal window for Michigan players opens Thursday, five days after Whittingham’s hiring was made official. That timing gives Whittingham a crucial opportunity to meet the team, lay out his vision, and potentially prevent a mass exodus.
For Sullivan, that first impression will be everything.
“I just want to see what his vision for the program is,” he said. “I’ve heard that he’s a blue-collar, hard-nosed, tough coach, and I think that’s exactly what this program has been built on.
So that’s exciting to hear. I’m also just excited to talk one-on-one with him, see what his vision is for me, for this defense, and go from there.”
Holding the Line - For Now
Michigan has already done what many teams couldn’t: keep the roster largely intact for a non-Playoff bowl game. That speaks to the leadership from within - both from players and coaches - and to a team culture that’s been tested but hasn’t cracked.
The Citrus Bowl is just days away, and while the program’s long-term future will begin to unfold with Whittingham’s arrival, the short-term goal is clear: finish strong, pick up that 10th win, and give the current staff a proper sendoff.
In a month full of change, Michigan’s resolve hasn’t wavered. That alone says a lot about the foundation this team was built on - and the direction it hopes to go next.