Whittingham Preaches Respect Over Hatred at First Big Ten Media Days as Michigan Coach

CHICAGO — Kyle Whittingham stood before reporters at the Hilton Chicago on Thursday for his first Big Ten football media days appearance as Michigan's head coach, entering what he described as the most unique situation of his career. Beginning his 22nd season running a college program — and 32nd overall counting his time as a defensive coordinator at Utah — Whittingham acknowledged the weight of the new role while laying out familiar priorities: an effective running game, an unpredictable defense, winning the turnover battle, and eliminating self-inflicted mistakes.

The rivalry with Ohio State arrived as an early topic, with reporters pressing the 66-year-old on whether he harbors personal animosity toward Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day. Whittingham, who first interacted with Day during the Rose Bowl and later received input on him from former mentor Urban Meyer, declined to manufacture hostility.

I just think that a rivalry can be intense and emotional without the hatred factor. I don't think there's any place for that, personally. I think Ryan Day is a good person. And to sit here and say, I hate Ryan Day, I'd be making crap up. That's not true.

— Kyle Whittingham, Michigan head coach

Whittingham nonetheless left no doubt about his competitive intentions. Michigan fell 27-9 to Ohio State in Ann Arbor last season, and the Wolverines finished 9-4 overall in 2025, missing the College Football Playoff. Asked about the stakes of the November matchup, Whittingham said he wants to win that game "as badly as anybody in Ann Arbor" and noted that the best-case scenario has it serving as the decisive Big Ten contest in the 12th week of the regular season.

Underwood's Development Draws Scrutiny

Much of Thursday's session centered on sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood, the highest-rated recruit in Michigan program history. Whittingham was direct about why the offseason focus fell on fundamentals rather than statistics after Underwood completed 60.3 percent of his passes for fewer than 2,500 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions as a true freshman. "He was not nearly as fundamentally sound as he needed to be," Whittingham said. The program responded by pairing Underwood with quarterback trainer Jordan Palmer in California — where Underwood trained alongside Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow — and by hiring Koy Detmer Jr. as quarterbacks coach. New offensive coordinator Jason Beck, who worked under Whittingham at Utah, also joins the staff. Whittingham said he believes the program has struck the right balance of guidance around the young quarterback, adding, "We'll find out in fall camp."

Underwood, for his part, doubled down on the bold public statements that have drawn attention since his recruitment, saying he does not "regret nothing" he has said. Whittingham acknowledged the value of a confident quarterback but offered a measured note of caution, suggesting it may be in Underwood's "best interest maybe to not put that pressure on himself in that way." With the Wolverines returning a young offense and an experienced offensive line, how Underwood responds to the added structure around him figures to define Michigan's ceiling heading into the 2026 season.