Kyle Whittingham has stepped up as the Michigan Wolverines head coach after 20 years leading the Utah Utes. While he might need some time to settle down, the Michigan players are already talking about a shift in the team culture.

Bishop McNamara, the four-star EDGE Lugard Edokpayi, committed to Michigan in December 2023. So, he has witnessed the shift from Sherrone Moore to Whittingham. He now sheds light on the changes.

"Just, I'd say the overall vibe of the team, the locker room, the morale," said Edokpayi. "Even with the coaches, you didn't know what to expect having a new staff come in. So, I'd say just how everybody stayed together, that's one. And since I'm transitioning from that younger guy to older guy, I kind of have to take that role of saying how you're doing to the younger guys, kind of leading them on."

Since coming on board last December, Whittingham has chosen to reshape the staff, which includes hiring strength coach Doug Elisaia. 

"Strength staff, it's a great change," Edokpayi said.

That was part of Whittingham's plan to restore the "blue-collar" physicality, the driving force behind Michigan's 2023 title run.

Even though Elisaia coached under Whittingham for 21 seasons at Utah, the new Michigan head coach had another big factor in hiring him to Ann Arbor.

Michigan once regarded former strength coach Ben Herbert as the “soul” of the program. Elisaia brings a similar impact. However, the approach is more focused on sports science and precision. It emphasizes high-threshold metabolic conditioning and position-specific strength training for linemen.

Other than Elisaia, Whittingham has also hired Jason Beck (offensive coordinator) and Jay Hill (defensive coordinator) to give it an all-around tuning.

What Kyle Whittingham Brought to Michigan

When Michigan dismissed Moore in December after his alleged "inappropriate relationship" with a female staffer, they had a long list of candidates. They considered that Kalen DeBoer and even Michigan interim head coach Biff Poggi stood a chance.

But the Wolverines chose Whittingham. After all, he built a brand in Utah, becoming its all-time winningest coach. Whittingham closed the 2025 regular season with 177 career FBS wins, most among active Big 12 coaches, and ranked third among all active FBS head coaches.

Another major factor that determines whether he is a developer of talent is how many players he has sent to the NFL. According to CBS Sports, Whittingham stands fifth among active college football head coaches, who sent 57 players to the pro league.

Whittingham has already started his preparations. Part of his plan includes avoiding Bryce Underwood's mistakes. Former Michigan tight end Jake Butt confirmed that Whittingham's staff implemented specific drills for the quarterback after he struggled starting with pressure in the pocket.

“The footwork, he looked young," said the alum. "What I get from this staff is, of course, they identified it, but then they’re putting in drills to work on the weak points.”

It's now time for Whittingham to revive Michigan from the 9-4 record and push them towards the Natty.

What do you think of this new Wolverines era under Whittingham? Share your thoughts.

Read more at Michigan Football Community.

Written by

Sourav Ganguly

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar