Michigan State came into this game with no wins in the Big Ten in the first year under Pat Fitzgerald. They left Ann Arbor without scoring a touchdown but still walking out with a 15-6 win over the reeling Michigan Wolverines. Kyle Whittingham made it a point last week to state that Michigan was just a few plays away from being undefeated this season. In this game, they were not even a few plays away from winning.
Whittingham is a great coach. But he is not a great coach for this level of football, and every coach needs to find their level. Michigan is still an elite job. It is the ultimate destination for many people in the profession. They also have an amazing institute surrounding them and all the money a program would need to remain at the top. This makes the decision to let Whittingham go, even after just one season, an easy decision.
Now we must look at some coaches who could replace him. Despite his own assertions, Biff Poggi will not make this list.
Bob Chesney, UCLA Bruins
Would Bob Chesney leave UCLA after just one season in charge? This is the only obstacle standing in the way of Michigan going to a conference rival and stealing an excellent coach.
Chesney, who came into the season with a Bruins team expected to win five games, has the squad 9-0 and on the verge of claiming a playoff spot ahead of schools like Ohio State, LSU and Florida. He has done so with an excellent running game and defense, which has allowed them to survive the season-ending injury to quarterback Niko Iamaleava.
UCLA is rushing for more than 219 yards per game this season and this is a type of offense that complies with what Michigan likes to do on offense. He can also help bring a passing game, which enhances the offense rather than stifle it, as has happened in recent years.
Chesney would make a solid fit with Michigan and the Ann Arbor community. He comes from a power conference school and has proven himself in the same conference where Michigan resides. He also has experience with high academic institutions at UCLA, making him even more ready to take over if the call comes.
Shannon Dawson, Miami Hurricanes (Offensive Coordinator)
We have seen two things this year in college football. Miami knows exactly how to scheme up an elite offense and Michigan cannot even score against Michigan State and Minnesota.
Dawson, who has been the architect of the Hurricanes offense since Rhett Lashley left to coach SMU has had the ability to mold a transfer-laden roster into offensive excellence for the past number of years with Mario Christobal and a great recruiting team.
Whether it is Cam Ward, Carson Beck and now Darian Mensah, Dawson has found the offense to fit their talents and has kept the offense at the top of the heap in the ACC. While defense for Miami has been more of a struggle, the offense is undeniable and Michigan needs an offensive mind like this to again get talented offensive players to come to Michigan and provide production.
Dawson is a great offensive coach and can get the most out of the players on the Wolverines roster while supplementing them with even more talent. Bringing him in and keeping a good defensive staff in place will allow Michigan to compete as early as 2027 in the Big Ten. Especially if Ohio State loses Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith both to the draft this offseason.
Charles Huff, Memphis Tigers
He has been on every list so far and he will remain on the lists going forward. Huff has had a meteoric ascension since he left Marshall for Southern Miss and his star power has not soured the slightest.
The feeling in Tallahassee is that even Florida State may not be big enough for him in this cycle. If Michigan comes open, it will be much bigger than Florida State and in a power two conference at one of the top schools.
Going from a well-resourced group team to a well-resourced Big Ten team with the biggest stadium in the country will be an adjustment. Huff has been able to make such an adjustment before, and he has experience in big-time football during his time with Nick Saban and Alabama. Huff is ready for this challenge. The only question is whether Michigan would hand the reins to a Group of Six coach rather than a sitting power conference coach.
Will Stein, Kentucky Wildcats
Like Chesney, it is difficult to know if Stein would be willing to leave his school after just one season. He would be more hated in Lexington than John Calapari during his final years, but he would be moving to a school with almost unlimited resources to pick from and with donors like Larry Ellison and Dave Portnoy willing to give, the money would continue to flow.
Stein has done remarkable things in a brief time with Kentucky. Despite their loss Saturday to a good Tennessee team, the Wildcats remain with just two losses and on the fringes of the playoff during a magical season.Â
Working under Dan Lanning and by virtue of Kirby Smart, Stein knows the importance of recruiting too well. He will use the Michigan connection to get the best players possible for the program and can have the Wolverines back near the top of the Big Ten in short order.
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