10 Michigan football coach candidates after Sherrone Moore’s shocking firing, ranked

In a stunning development, one of the best jobs in college football is suddenly available.

Michigan fired Sherrone Moore following an investigation into an alleged inappropriate relationship with a staff member, sparking a flood of rumors on social media and kicking off a late-season coaching search. Biff Poggi was immediately named the team’s interim head coach for the Citrus Bowl against Texas, but there is every expectation that the Wolverines are going to act fast in hiring their next head coach.

Who might be on that list?

10. Marcus Freeman, HC, Notre Dame

Michigan will likely cast a wide net in their coaching search.

But right now, the odds are highest that Marcus Freeman might pick up that call.

With Notre Dame shut out of the College Football Playoff there is a certain frustration in South Bend, with Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua accusing the ACC of “attacking” the program in the buildup to Selection Sunday, and the school’s bookstore canceling a scheduled book signing for Selection Committee member Ivan Maisel. While that signing is back on, so readers can meet with Maisel and get copies of his book about former Notre Dame coach Frank Leahy, the anger has not subsided.

Could that open the door to Freeman making a move? Since taking over at Notre Dame his name has been linked with a future move to the NFL. He was linked to the Chicago Bears job before the team hired Ben Johnson, and Freeman has most recently been linked with the New York Giants job.

But would the former Big Ten linebacker make a move to that conference and take over at Michigan?

9. Matt Patricia, DC, Ohio State

How about a current Big Ten defensive coordinator with some NFL head coaching experience?

Matt Patricia’s tenure at the helm of the Detroit Lions came to an end with a 13-29-1 record, and without a single winning season. But after some time away Patricia returned to the sidelines as the defensive coordinator at Ohio State, and built one of the best defenses in the nation.

Still, taking over a program like Michigan takes more than building a defense. However, a move like this would also put a dent in Ohio State’s coaching roster, which could provide an added benefit for the Wolverines.

8. Brian Kelly, Former HC, LSU

One of the many concerns in Ann Arbor right now is what the Moore firing could due to the current roster, leading with starting quarterback Bryce Underwood. It was a seismic event when Michigan flipped his commitment during the last recruiting cycle, and the No. 1 quarterback in the nation immediately took over as the starter for Michigan as a true freshman.

Keeping him in maize and blue is a priority over these next few weeks.

Which leads us to Brian Kelly.

After all, it was LSU where Underwood originally committed, agreeing to play for Kelly and the Tigers.

Is that enough for Michigan to target Kelly in their search? Hiring him could make it easier to retain Underwood, but there are some strikes against Kelly as well.

Still, he can win, he can recruit, and he can develop talent. And if hired, his 297 wins would lead the way among active coaches taking new jobs.

Given some immediate concerns, and the stage in the hiring cycle, Kelly is an attractive option.

7. Kenny Dillingham, HC, Arizona State

Keeping Underwood is certainly a priority.

So too is developing him.

That could lead Michigan to Arizona State, and Kenny Dillingham. Dillingham is one of the brightest young offensive minds in the college game, and while he has just three years of collegiate head coaching experience, he guided Arizona State to the College Football Playoff — and a Big 12 title — just last year.

A move like this would not only help retain offensive players, but might move the Michigan passing game forward into 2026, and beyond.

6. P.J. Fleck, HC, Minnesota

He has won in Michigan before, taking over a Western Michigan program that went 1-11 in his first year in charge and guiding it to three winning seasons, including a 13-1 campaign that ended with a loss in the Cotton Bowl.

Could P.J. Fleck win in Michigan again, now in Ann Arbor?

Fleck has gone 65-44 since taking over at Minnesota and led the Golden Gophers to six bowl victories, with a seventh bowl game coming up in a few weeks. He has a reputation as a program builder, given what he put together both at Western Michigan and in Minnesota these past seasons, and has strong connections throughout the Midwest which would help on the recruiting side of things.

He also has extensive Big Ten experience, which is another plus in his favor.

5. Bryant Haines, DC, Indiana

While Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti might be the dream candidate, perhaps a coach on his staff would be a more viable option.

Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines would be that option. Similar to Matt Patricia, Haines has built one of the best defenses in the country, and the timing of the Big Ten Championship Game could work in his favor. Just last weekend, the Indiana defense stifled Ohio State in the Big Ten title game, holding the Buckeyes to ten points and under 100 yards rushing.

Haines has been a defensive assistant throughout his coaching journey, and taking over at Michigan for your first head coaching job is a daunting task. But if the Wolverines want to make a splash on the defensive side of the ball, and hire an up-and-coming coach, Haines is a perfect option.

4. Jedd Fisch, HC, Washington

Jedd Fisch’s coaching journey has taken him from the P. K. Yonge Developmental Research School to the Big Ten.

Could Michigan be the next stop on his head coaching tour?

Among his stops along the way was a stint in Ann Arbor, where he served as the quarterbacks coach, wide receivers coach, and passing game coordinator under Jim Harbaugh for two seasons. Following a season at UCLA — where he served as the interim head coach after the school dismissed Jim Mora — Fisch moved to the NFL, starting out as an offensive assistant with the Los Angeles Rams before spending a year as the quarterbacks coach with the New England Patriots.

Fisch then went back out west, taking over at Arizona. He led the Wildcats to a 10-3 record and a bowl game win in his third season, before moving north to take over in Washington. This year the Huskies finished 8-4, and have a bowl game against Boise State in a few weeks.

He has extensive experience on the offensive side of the ball, two seasons as a head coach in the Big Ten, and a massive contacts list that would help him fill out a coaching staff. These could make him an attractive option for the Wolverines.

3. Manny Diaz, HC, Duke

Manny Diaz led Duke to a stunning ACC title this season, as they knocked off Virginia in the ACC Championship Game.

Could that spark a move back to a top-flight program?

Diaz spent three years in charge at Miami, leading the Hurricanes to a 21-15 record during his tenure, which included an 8-3 record during the 2020 campaign. After a frustrating end to his time in Miami, Diaz joined James Franklin’s staff at Penn State as the defensive coordinator. While there, he assembled a defense that was third in the nation in scoring defense during the 2023 season, allowing 13.5 points per game and 4.2 yards per play.

Then he made the leap to Duke, guiding the Blue Devils to a 17-9 record these past two seasons.

Is that enough to secure one of college football’s biggest jobs? Diaz has experience in the Big Ten, has recruiting ties in the south which could be attractive to the Wolverines, and is coming off one of the biggest surprises of the entire college football season.

Maybe that leads to another.

2. Jesse Minter, DC, Los Angeles Chargers

There are several reasons that Jesse Minter’s name is at the top of lists like this one.

Minter has ties to Ann Arbor, having served as the defensive coordinator for the Wolverines for two seasons, and even served as the interim head coach for a game while Jim Harbaugh served a suspension. He was the guiding force behind the defense in Michigan’s run to a title in 2023, as that unit was one of the best in recent memory. The Wolverines never allowed more than 24 points all season, giving up just 10.4 points per game.

Minter followed Harbaugh to Los Angeles, where he has been the defensive coordinator for the Chargers these past two seasons. This year the Los Angeles defense ranks tenth in the NFL in scoring defense, and they’ve held opposing passers to an Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt of just 4.3, the second-best mark in the league.

However, there are concerns. Hiring Minter means hiring another coach with ties to Harbaugh, something Michigan might want to avoid. There is also the one-year show cause order hanging over Minter’s head, due to impermissible text messages sent to a recruit. However, that is set to expire later this month, which could make the timing work if Minter finishes out the NFL season before joining Michigan.

Then there are the ties to Connor Stalions. While there were no findings involving Minter in the former graduate assistant’s sign-stealing operation, opening up that wound might be something else that Michigan wants to avoid.

1. Kalen DeBoer, HC, Alabama

This is the name that seems to be right at the top of every list.

Why?

Vibes, I guess.

Since taking over at Alabama, Kalen DeBoer has led the Crimson Tide to a 19-7 record, and now a berth in the College Football Playoff. But replacing a living legend is never easy, and DeBoer has never seemed to fit with Alabama since his tenure began. A season-opening loss to Florida State had Crimson Tide fans playing the lottery and hoping to win, so they could pay his buyout.

In this economy?

But DeBoer has ties to the Midwest — he spent time as an assistant at both Southern Illinois and Eastern Michigan — as well as a year as the Offensive Coordinator at Indiana under his belt. If he has decided that Alabama is not the right fit for him (and that is a big if, as it is one of the premier programs in the nation) Michigan offers a very nice landing spot.