The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast Michigan hires Kyle Whittingham & College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Picks
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Dec 29, 2025 The hiring of Kyle Whittingham by Michigan shakes up college football, as Joel Klatt explores why he’s the perfect fit amidst the program's challenges. Klatt highlights Whittingham’s impressive legacy at Utah and outlines his immediate tasks, like roster retention and staff building. The excitement shifts to playoff predictions, with matchups including Ohio State's defense against Miami and a tight Rose Bowl between Indiana and Alabama. Don't miss Klatt's insights on the critical Georgia-Ole Miss showdown and a chance to win Rose Bowl tickets!
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Perfect Crisis-Time Fit For Michigan
- Joel Klatt argues Michigan's hire of Kyle Whittingham checks critical boxes: timing, play identity, culture reset, and availability.
- Whittingham uniquely fits Michigan's urgent need to retain roster, preserve identity, and stabilize the program.
Force Top Candidates To Explicitly Decline
- Klatt advises to "force great candidates to tell you no" before moving on in searches to avoid assuming availability.
- Call top names and use their responses to identify other strong candidates and avoid bad assumptions.
Klatt's Personal Assumption About Whittingham
- Klatt shares he assumed Kyle Whittingham was done coaching because of past conversations about family time.
- He admits Michigan's outreach forced Whittingham to reconsider and accept the job.