Michigan interim Biff Poggi evaluates 'malfunctioning' program, calls for major change

Michigan interim head coach Biff Poggi did not mince words about the Wolverines’ under former coach Sherrone Moore’s leadership. In addition to interviewing for the head coaching vacancy himself, Poggi ripped what was going on over the last two years.

“Everything that happens in this building has to be reevaluated,” Poggi said, via Austin Meek. Poggi also called Michigan under Moore a “malfunctioning organization.”

Michigan is still in the process of preparing for Texas in the Citrus Bowl while conducting a coaching search and the administration being subject to investigation. Safe to say, the current state of Michigan is not great.

“Unique and complex,” Poggi said of the team’s preparation while meeting with media in Orlando. “Multiple levels of complexity that our young people are dealing with, our university is dealing with, our athletic director, Warde Manuel, is dealing with. And our team, our kids. I don’t know that you can prepare for something like this. I’ll just say, complicated …

“It has been a tumultuous time. A lot of anger. First, disbelief, and then anger, and really what we’re in right now is the phase of the kids, quite frankly, feel quite betrayed. We’re trying to work through that.”

After Moore was fired in scandal due to an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, the Wolverines have been scrambling. Poggi is just trying to steer the ship, while maybe earning the permanent job himself!

ESPN’s Pete Thamel grouped several names together as part of a broader, non-definitive candidate pool, including Jeff Brohm, Eli Drinkwitz, Jedd Fisch, Kenny Dillingham and Clark Lea. Coaches with proven résumés but varied trajectories. Dillingham has since signed a contract extension with Arizona State.

“That’s not a definitive list, but it’s that category of coaches. Very good coaches,” Thamel explained. He noted that Michigan’s decision-makers may still be weighing which profile best fits the program’s immediate and long-term needs.

Despite the uncertainty, Thamel believes clarity is coming soon. Thamel claimed there will “probably (be) a week from today (December 19th), have a new coach at Michigan.”