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College football analyst Andy Staples believes Michigan’s decision to hire Kyle Whittingham is a carbon copy shift in how elite programs approach head coaching hires. It's one inspired largely by Indiana’s rapid rise under Curt Cignetti.
In his latest analysis for On3, Staples argues that if Indiana had not taken a chance on Cignetti two years ago, Michigan likely would not have pursued Whittingham amid its own disastrous coaching transition.
Cignetti inherited a program that went 9-27 over the previous three seasons and promptly went 11-2 in his first year, earning a College Football Playoff berth. In year two, Indiana surged to a 13-0 record, a Big Ten title and the No. 1 seed in the CFP. Staples notes that kind of immediate impact has forced athletic departments to rethink what matters most.
"In the transfer portal/NIL era, a coach needs to win now," Staples wrote. "If the team isn’t good by year two, you almost definitely blew the hire. That’s why this hiring cycle — with huge jobs open at Auburn, LSU, Florida, Penn State and elsewhere — featured an emphasis on accomplished sitting FBS head coaches"
That urgency favors proven program builders over younger coordinators with longer runways. It explains why this cycle is being filled with sitting FBS head coaches and why Whittingham became such an attractive option for Michigan after stepping aside at Utah.
Whittingham’s resume fits the model Michigan believes still works with physical football, elite play in the trenches and player development. Staples points out that Whittingham consistently elevated Utah beyond its recruiting profile, winning conference titles and thriving after the Utes moved from the Mountain West to the Pac-12.
Cignetti’s success reframed the conversation. Longevity is no longer the priority; immediate credibility and results are in the new era. As Staples sees it, Michigan isn’t chasing the next decade. They want two-year reboot. Indiana showed that can be enough to be a Big Ten contender.
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