The Michigan Wolverines closed the book on one chapter of their football story with a 41-27 loss to Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl - a game that not only marked the end of their season, but also the end of Biff Poggi’s time with the program.
And while the scoreboard didn’t fall in Michigan’s favor, Poggi wasn’t about to let the moment pass without reminding everyone what this team meant to him - and what he believes it still can be.
“This isn’t a rebuild at all,” Poggi said after the game. “That would shortchange the kids.” He made it clear that while his time in Ann Arbor is over, he’s confident the program is in good hands with incoming head coach Kyle Whittingham.
Poggi won’t be sticking around, but he left with his head high and his heart full. Standing beside freshman linebacker Jimmy Rolder, he reflected on his final message to the team.
“What was my message to the team?” he asked, turning to Rolder for a reminder.
With a grin, Rolder jumped in.
“Coach Biff has done so much for us - not just in football, but in life,” Rolder said. “Everyone on the team looks up to him.
Respects him so much. It sucks we couldn’t get the win for him because that’s what everyone wanted.
But he told us he was proud, thankful for the opportunity - and yeah, that meant a lot.”
Poggi’s impact clearly went beyond Xs and Os. He was a mentor, a motivator, and a steady voice in a season filled with change. And while he’s stepping away, he’s bullish on what’s next for Michigan - especially with Whittingham taking the reins.
“Look, the guy has won 180 games,” Poggi said. “He’s been a head coach for 20 years.
Three conference titles - one in the WAC, two in the Big 12. He’s walking into a room full of kids who are ready, who are tough, who understand what it means to wear that Michigan jersey.
People talk about what it means to be a Michigan Man - I’ve got a son who is one. I didn’t go here, but these kids?
They’re the definition.”
That kind of endorsement doesn’t come lightly. Poggi knows what a winning culture looks like, and he sees one in place. He’s confident Whittingham isn’t inheriting a rebuild - he’s stepping into a program that’s built to compete, with players who buy in, on and off the field.
“I’ve coached over 300 games at all levels,” Poggi said. “And there’s not a team I’ve ever been prouder of than this one.
These guys are unbelievable. Great players, great students, great people.
At Michigan, the bar is high - and they meet it in every way.”
So now, the page turns. The Whittingham era officially begins.
And while there are still questions to answer and challenges ahead, one thing is clear: Michigan isn’t starting over. They’re moving forward - with a foundation built on pride, grit, and belief.
Get used to it.