Kyle Whittingham is in his first year with the Michigan Wolverines as their head football coach.
There will be fans calling for him not to get a second season and instead for Michigan to move on by paying the buyout amount in his contract.
It’s been a bigger struggle this season for Michigan than anyone hoped. Whittingham didn’t get enough out of Bryce Underwood, so he benched him for Tommy Carr, and it hasn’t been smooth sailing for Carr, either.
That was before Michigan went out and didn’t score through three quarters against Michigan State on Saturday, Nov. 7.
More and more, the Wolverines’ fanbase is getting upset with Whittingham. Where exactly will that lead? Only time will tell — but it could be expensive.
Kyle Whittingham Contract Details
Whittingham came to Michigan to begin his coaching tenure with the 2026 season, and he got a hefty contract to do so.
He signed a five-year deal with a base salary of $41 million.
That began with an $8 million salary for 2026, going up by $100,000 each year, according to GBM Wolverine.
Kyle Whittingham Buyout Details
Whittingham being fired without cause would result in him being paid 75% of his remaining salary, according to GBM Wolverine.
That means, for example, that he’d get paid 75% of $33 million if he was fired after the 2026 season. That works out to a $24.75 million buyout — which certainly isn’t an unheard-of total in modern college football.
GBM Wolverine explained the outlook like this in an article earlier this season: “The good news for Michigan is that they aren’t paying any other buyouts to former coaches. (Sherrone) Moore was fired for cause, and former head basketball coach Dusty May left for the NBA on his own. So, if Michigan wanted to pay the buyout, they probably have the money to do so.”
It still would be a pretty rough look for Michigan to move on from its new coach after just a single season, although the Moore situation didn’t set up the Wolverines to have the best head coach hiring cycle ever.
The reality is that Whittingham seemed like a quality hire based on his strong past, but it hasn’t worked out the way they hoped in Ann Arbor.
Whittingham isn’t necessarily a goner, but if he is at some point, Michigan can probably afford to make that happen.
Kyle Whittingham Buyout Details in Contract Show Cost for Michigan to Fire Coach