Michigan’s linebacker room is entering the season with a new voice in the meeting room and a clear message from that voice: the group has a chance to carve out its own identity.
Alex Whittingham, now coaching the Wolverines’ linebackers after spending time with the Kansas City Chiefs, joined the In The Trenches podcast with Jon Jansen and talked through everything from the move to Ann Arbor to the players he believes are ready to take a step. The son of Kyle Whittingham said the adjustment has been smooth so far, and he hasn’t taken the welcome for granted.
“It’s almost overwhelming how welcoming everybody has been and I’ve got to pinch myself everyday,” Whittingham told podcast host Jon Jansen.
That kind of reception has helped ease the transition, but Whittingham also made clear that this move is about more than settling in. He said being around football for most of his life made coaching a natural path, and he described teaching as the part of the job that keeps him hooked. He wants to help players improve, plain and simple.
His background includes time in Kansas City, where he worked under Andy Reid. Whittingham didn’t hold back on that experience.
“Great is under-selling it a little bit,” Whittingham said.
He said that stretch helped shape how he thinks about the game and gave him a foundation he can lean on as he coaches college players. The biggest lesson, he said, was consistency at that level.
Whittingham also reflected on the Super Bowl environment he was around in Kansas City. While he credited a lot of that success to quarterback Patrick Mahomes, he said the teams that finished the job were the ones that had the strength to keep pushing late in the season.
Back in Ann Arbor, the family piece matters too. Whittingham said he has played for his dad before, and now he’s coaching alongside him after spending eight years with a different organization.
That separation, he said, gave him a new way to look at Kyle Whittingham’s coaching. He’s also enjoyed having his family around and watching his dad interact with his own kids.
On the field, the linebacker group is still in the process of proving itself after losing players from last season. Whittingham sees opportunity in that.
“I see a room that is hungry and ready to get after it and make names for themselves.”
He said the players in the room have had to absorb a lot already - behaviors, mentalities and new practice habits the staff expects - and he’s been encouraged by how quickly they’ve taken to the techniques being installed.
A few players stood out in his comments. Troy Bowles, in particular, earned strong praise after spring ball.
“Troy had a fantastic spring. He made huge strides as far as his strength in the weight room ... had a very complete spring and took a lot of steps forward physically,” Whittingham said.
That growth wasn’t just physical. Whittingham said Bowles understands the game well and is starting to emerge as more of a leader.
He also pointed to Nate Owusu-Boateng, saying he has “done a great job buying into what we want to do,” though a minor spring injury limited him some as he tried to work through it.
Then there’s Chase Taylor, who drew the most emphatic praise of all.
“He’s gonna be special. I think we should be really excited about him.
He’s filling out, putting on weight, maturing as a student, as a player, as a person. He makes things look easy out there and has just so many athletic gifts that he’s been blessed with, and he’s gonna be fun to watch for sure.”
Whittingham spent time on Taylor’s development and maturity after returning to the program for another season, and he kept coming back to how smooth Taylor looks on the field.
The young group is still learning, but it’s not doing it alone. Whittingham said freshmen Aden Reeder, Markel Dabney and Kaden Catchings are getting up to speed, while veteran help is making a difference. Transfer Aisea Moa, who played in this defense for three years at BYU, has helped bring the younger linebackers along.
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