Urban Meyer’s advice to Kyle Whittingham about the Michigan job came down to four blunt words: "Are you kidding me?"
The former Ohio State coach and longtime rival of Michigan revealed the message during an appearance on "Wake Up Barstool", recalling a phone call from Whittingham before he accepted the Wolverines’ head coaching position. Whittingham, Meyer’s former defensive coordinator at Utah, was formally introduced this weekend after two decades leading the Utes.
“The Big Ten really survived a major, possible tragedy,” Meyer said, referring to Michigan’s search. “Kyle Whittingham called me one day and said, ‘Hey, what do you think?’ And I said, ‘Are you kidding me?’”
Despite years of animosity with Michigan, Meyer said his respect for the program drove his recommendation. He pointed to the legacy of Bo Schembechler and the standard that comes with coaching in Ann Arbor, noting that expectations immediately shift from winning consistently to contending for national championships.
“You can win a national title there. It’s a hard job,” Meyer said. “He’s going to be under scrutiny he’s never been under before.”
As Whittingham closes in on 200 career victories, he brings a reputation for physical, line-of-scrimmage football. Its a style Meyer believes fits Michigan’s identity. Meyer praised Whittingham as “a tough cat” whose demanding but respectful approach earned trust from players.
“That’s the number one quality he has,” Meyer said, adding that Whittingham’s adaptability in the modern era should give Wolverine fans confidence.
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