Michigan's rough start raises questions about what's next for Kyle Whittingham

The Michigan Wolverines are a franchise used to winning. This team is only a few years removed from winning the national championship, which it did during the 2023-24 season. So, even though Kyle Whittingham has only been in the driver's seat for half a season, it's not premature to consider where this team goes from here and what's next for him.

Michigan is coming off a bye week and a surprising 20-14 loss to the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Now, the Wolverines are taking on Penn State's Nittany Lions at home on Saturday. Michigan has a 3-2 overall record and is 0-2 in the Big Ten, while the Nittany Lions have a 3-3 overall record and are 0-3 in conference play. Both teams need a win.

Michigan's coaching future comes into question

Austin Nivison of CBS Sports has a feature out about the upcoming game and how both coaches, Whittingham and Matt Campbell, need a win.

"Quarterback Bryce Underwood and the offense have regressed under Whittingham's staff," he notes in the piece. "The Wolverines have reached 20 points in one game — a 52-17 blowout over UTEP in Week 2. Only Michigan State has a worse scoring offense than Michigan's in the Big Ten."

That's a troubling assessment. So, will Michigan give Whittingham the boot after just one season? Nivison makes a case for why the program shouldn't go that route. Athletic director Warde Manuel is leaving at the end of the year, so the athletic department is already in flux.

"When it comes to the murky future of the athletic department, wouldn't it be wise to keep Whittingham for at least another season?" he asks. "Is more instability really the answer for the Wolverines?"

So, even if the Wolverines aren't having a stellar season, that doesn't necessarily mean Whittingham is going anywhere. Time will tell what happens, though, because we all know that patience isn't a common quality in college football.