Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham’s first season has unraveled to the point that Josh Pate, a college football analyst who usually preaches patience with coaches, says the Wolverines need to move on after three more games.
On Tuesday night’s edition of Josh Pate’s College Football Show, Pate said “this is dead” and predicted “there’s 0% chance he’s back next year.” The verdict followed a 15-6 home loss to 2-6 Michigan State that dropped Michigan to 5-4.
Why is Pate done with Whittingham?
Pate said he couldn’t remember discussing a coaching situation like this one on his show. He compared the program to food that’s past its expiration date.
“There is no amount of patience that unspoils food,” Pate said. “If you’ve got something in the fridge past its expiration date, it’s not unspoiling. … It is toxic. It is a very, very poor fit. There’s zero connection between Kyle Whittingham and that program.”
Michigan has lost four of its last six games, and its offense has stalled through changes at quarterback and play-caller. Whittingham benched former top overall recruit Bryce Underwood at halftime against Penn State in October and turned to true freshman Tommy Carr.
The day after the Michigan State loss, Whittingham fired offensive coordinator Jason Beck, who followed him from Utah. Offensive line coach Jim Harding is the interim coordinator.
Kyle Whittingham’s post-game comments
Two recent comments drew Pate’s sharpest criticism. After the Michigan State loss, Whittingham talked about rallying his players for the final stretch, then questioned what was left to play for.
“I don’t know, are there any more trophies in these last three games?” Whittingham said. “I don’t think there’s any more trophies.”
Michigan’s regular season ends at Ohio State, and Pate said that attitude doesn’t fit one of the sport’s premier jobs.
“That stuff matters in college football,” Pate said. “If you don’t want to embrace it, don’t take the job. It’s the Michigan job.”
On the Inside Michigan Football radio show Monday, Whittingham said Oregon coach Dan Lanning benefits from having “$50-plus million at your disposal to, in essence, outbid everybody.” Pate countered that Michigan isn’t short on resources, saying “you’ve got a quarterback on your bench being paid more than some teams pay their entire roster.”
“If Kyle Whittingham were trying to get terminated, how would he be doing anything different than what he’s doing right now?” Pate asked.
What’s next for Michigan football?
Michigan closes the regular season at Oregon, at home against UCLA and at Ohio State. Pate expects the Wolverines to lose all three games.
Whittingham signed a five-year contract averaging $8.2 million per year in December 2025. Still, Pate said Michigan has to accept the cost of a change.
“No one wants to be paying someone not to coach, but do you want to win?” Pate said. “Because you can’t do both. You can either keep him or you can have a shot at winning.”
Any decision on Whittingham would come during a leadership transition. Athletic director Warde Manuel is stepping down at the end of 2026, and Michigan has opened a national search for his replacement. Whittingham’s situation also adds to a crowded college football coaching hot seat entering Week 11.
Michigan plays at Oregon on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
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