Michigan OL Jake Guarnera: Kyle Whittingham 'establishing that culture of being accountable to each other'

Michigan Wolverines football junior Jake Guarnera was the team’s top-rated offensive lineman in 2025. He entered the transfer portal amidst the head-coaching transition from Sherrone Moore to Kyle Whittingham, but ultimately decided to stick in Ann Arbor.

Appearing on an episode of the ‘Hail To Her’ podcast with host Haley Polk, Guarnera shared his early impressions of Whittingham, who spent the previous 21 years as Utah’s head coach.

“I like him,” the 6-foot-4, 311-pounder said. “He’s really establishing that culture of being accountable to each other. He’s like, ‘If you don’t do what’s best for the program, then how are you going to be great?’ I think he’s really just preaching that to us and making sure that the leaders on the team know that, that’s something that’s big to him — the accountability aspect, which it should be on every winning team.”

That culture is important to Guarnera, who said after Moore’s firing that Michigan’s team lacked discipline — “like the little things, just on and off the field.”

Michigan begins spring practices March 17, ahead of the April 18 spring game at The Big House. For now, the Wolverines are going through strenuous workouts with the new strength and conditioning staff, led by director of football sports performance Doug Elisaia.

“They’re actually very intense,” Guarnera explained. “Now we have a team run. We do more acceleration work and technique stuff. And then we’ll have a lift, as well, which will contain more of olympic lifts, like barbell weights and cleans and squatting. We’re really focused on our technique and detail and just getting after it in the weight room, which is something I really like. We team run at 6:30, and then we have a lift in the afternoon at 4 o’clock.”

An emerging leader, Guarnera is one of 15 players on the team’s leadership council, and he’s also seen others step up, including junior running back Jordan Marshall, junior offensive lineman Andrew Sprague and senior defensive end Cameron Brandt.

“I’ve been impressed with what Jordan’s been doing, just with a lot of the younger guys,” the Michigan lineman noted. “Andrew’s doing really well, too; he’s stepping up. And then on the defensive side of the ball, Cam Brandt has been someone that’s been stepping up and leading them, as well.

“I feel like last year I was still kind of that younger guy, still learning behind [former Michigan offensive lineman] Greg Crippen and all that. And now, I feel like I need to be that mentor for the younger O-linemen and the younger guys on the team to help them transition to college and become a college football player.”

Guarnera explained what Wolverine fans should expect from this team during spring practices.

“Just an exciting team,” he said. “I think we’re going to go out there and shock a lot of people. With a new coach coming in, all of us buying in is good for Michigan football.”