Michigan sets sights on new head coach candidate to replace Sherrone Moore following scandal: report

Ed Orgeron tells Fox News Digital that Sherrone Moore can bounce back from his firing and arrest and hopes he can get his mental health right.

As the University of Michigan continues to deal with the fallout of the Sherrone Moore firing, his replacement may have come into focus.

Kyle Whittingham, who announced he would step down as Utah’s head coach after 21 seasons following their bowl game on Dec. 31, has become "the focus of Michigan’s coaching search," according to ESPN.

It is expected that Whittingham’s candidacy will be shared with Michigan officials on Friday, and they could be offering him a deal shortly after that.

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Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham looks on from the sidelines during the first half against the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Nov. 15, 2025. (Chris Jones/Imagn Images)

After leading Utah to a 10-2 record, Whittingham notched a career 177-88 record over his two decades worth of coaching the Utes. He even had a perfect 13-0 season in 2008, and many expect him to one day be in the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.

But when he announced he would be stepping down, he joked during his statement that he was entering "the transfer portal" instead of simply retiring from the sport.

The 66-year-old still wants to coach, and he’s one of the hottest in that market.

FIRED MICHIGAN COACH SHERRONE MOORE WAS ‘STRESSED OUT’ AS RUMORS SWIRLED ABOUT AFFAIR: ‘IT WAS TOO OBVIOUS’

Moore was fired after Michigan found he was having an inappropriate relationship, and he was jailed soon after for allegedly breaking into the staffer’s house and threatening to take his own life.

Prosecutors accused Moore of contacting the staffer via