You can argue that Penn State ultimately made the right hire with Matt Campbell, but it’s inarguable that the process was flawed. Athletic director Pat Kraft dragged his feet, struck out on a public attempt to land Kalani Sitake, and, without a coach for the start of the Early Signing Period, signed just two players. Now, Michigan, which suddenly fired Sherrone Moore for cause on Wednesday, is seemingly on the verge of making one of the mistakes that led Kraft to hire Campbell so late into the process.
If you follow the rumor mill, one of the possible reasons that Penn State waited so long to pull the trigger on Campbell, or even to kick things into high gear with Sitake before their affections were rebuffed, was their interest in Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer. Though he signed an eight-year contract to replace Nick Saban two years ago, DeBoer’s name keeps popping up in coaching searches, including Michigan’s.
Kalen DeBoer wasn’t leaving Alabama for Penn State, and he won’t for Michigan
Part of the theory (or Penn State fan-fiction) was that the Alabama fanbase turned on DeBoer after his Week 1 loss to Florida State. So, if he lost the Iron Bowl to miss the College Football Playoff for the second-straight year, they may drive him out of town. Plus, the South Dakota native may be a better fit in the Big Ten anyway.
Well, Alabama won the Iron Bowl and made the SEC Championship Game. But, with Michigan, the goalposts have moved. After DeBoer took a blowout loss to Georgia in Atlanta, Michigan fans suddenly have dreams of the Tide getting stomped by Oklahoma in the first round of the CFP, and that being enough to cause a split.
The reality, though, is that Kalen DeBoer is not leaving Alabama, and Alabama is not giving up on Kalen DeBoer. So, for Michigan’s sake, it shouldn’t prolong its coaching search, especially with the transfer portal window looming on January 2.
Penn State’s inaction led to a lost recruiting cycle. If Michigan drags its feet, it could cost the top recruit in the 2025 class, Bryce Underwood. The Wolverines got the five-star QB to stay home and flip from his LSU commitment with a $12 million NIL deal, but it reportedly has no buyout, so he has flexibility if he wants to flee Ann Arbor after a successful freshman season.
Even if Underwood stays, Michigan needs to make a big splash in the transfer portal to maximize his three-year window before he inevitably leaves for the NFL. The program can’t afford to waste a season of Underwood’s career, and that’s what they’d be risking if they take too long in pivoting off DeBoer and hiring a new head coach.
Considering the complicated circumstances of Moore’s dismissal, there are open questions about who will be making Michigan’s next hire. If Michigan fires athletic director Warde Manuel, that would obviously delay the head coach hiring process. The outcome of the Oklahoma-Alabama first-round game isn’t the only factor in play.
Still, Michigan should do everything it can to get a hire done quickly to avoid having the transfer portal equivalent of Penn State’s Early Signing Period.