Michigan football’s coaching search continues in the wake of the Sherrone Moore firing last week Wednesday, and though it doesn’t appear that there will be any resolution until this weekend at the earliest.
It’s expected that search firm TurnkeyZRG will give the University of Michigan its recommendations any time now, and that from there, U-M will officially start working on candidates. The university has certainly been backchannelling things in the lead-up to formal negotiations and offers.
At this point, the key focuses, at least in the public eye, are Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer, Arizona State‘s Kenny Dillingham, and Washington’s Jedd Fisch (who formerly was the pass game coordinator in Ann Arbor in 2015-16). DeBoer has said he plans to be the head coach in Tuscaloosa next year over the weekend, and while Dillingham spoke emotionally about being in Tempe (where he went to school) in the same time frame, it wasn’t as cut and dry.
And now, it’s even less so.
On Tuesday, Dillingham was asked if he could ease the nerves of anxious ASU fans who worry about him potentially leaving for the Michigan job. And what he said certainly won’t put any of them at ease.
“I think my job is to try to do whatever I can for the people that are with me, right?” Dillingham said. “The people that are in the foxhole, the coaches that are in the foxhole with me is I got to do whatever I can to fight for for those people, for my family, for everything from that perspective and kind of you know and I love it here I’ve said that since day one that’s absolutely never changing, absolutely never changing — so yeah, that piece is never changing.”
Kenny Dillingham was asked if there is any part of him that wants to ease Sun Devil fans nerves surrounding his name in the Michigan coaching search.
His response:
“My job is to do whatever I can for the people that are with me…I love it here. I’ve said that since day one.… pic.twitter.com/j1kbV5tpgA
— Blake Niemann (@Blakes_Take2) December 16, 2025
DeBoer and Dillingham appear to be the top two targets at the moment, but only time will tell if either gets a Michigan offer, and then if they depart their program for Ann Arbor.
For now, Michigan is operating with interim head coach Biff Poggi, who told 2026 signees, according to a report, that the plan is to have a new coach in place by the new year. Arizona State does have a December 31 bowl game while Alabama will face Oklahoma in Norman in the College Football Playoff on Friday. A loss would mean DeBoer’s season is done. Jedd Fisch’s season with Washington concluded on Saturday with a win over Boise State in the LA Bowl.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan football coaching search update as Dillingham fuels rumors
