Michigan Wolverines interim coach Biff Poggi had a few words of wisdom for Kyle Whittingham following his last game, a 41-27 loss to the Texas Longhorns in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. Poggi also revealed his plans for the immediate future himself.
Biff Poggi defends Kyle Whittingham in key clarification of Michigan's program direction originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Michigan Wolverines are in a transition period regarding their football program. A 41-27 loss in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against the Texas Longhorns in Orlando marked the end of an era.
More specifically, the end of the Biff Poggi era. But, Poggi didn't want reporters to forget Wednesday what he meant to the program.
“This isn’t a rebuild at all,” Poggi said of Michigan. "That would shortchange the kids, and coach [Kyle] Whittingham is going to do an amazing job.”
Despite Poggi's optimism about the program, he said he won't be part of it moving forward.
"What was my message to the team?" Poggi said alongside linebacker Jimmy Rolder.
"Well, it is my last game at Michigan, and my message to the team after the game, what was my message to the team after the game? Do you remember?"
Rolder, only a freshman, responded with a smile.
"Coach Biff has done so much for us, not even in just the football space, but just overall life advice," Rolder said. "Everyone on the team looks up to him. Respects him so much. It sucks we weren’t able to go out there and win for him, because that is what everyone wanted to do. He was just telling us he was proud of us, thankful for the opportunity, and yeah."
Poggi said Whittingham should be allowed and will center his focus on football with all the fallout from the Sherrone Moore situation in the past.
"Again, he is a guy that has won 180 games," Poggi said. "He has been a head coach 20 years. He has won three conference championships, one in the WAC and two in the Big 12. I think he is going to find it very, very full covered, a bunch of very willing kids that are just great kids. People talk about Michigan and what it means to be a Michigan Man. I have a son that is a Michigan Man. I am not a Michigan Man. I didn’t go there, but these kids here are the definition of that, and I think he is going to love that."
Ultimately, Poggi wants his lasting image to be that he was grateful to lead the Wolverines for a short period.
"I have been a head coach in over 300 football games at all levels," Poggi said. "There is not a team I have ever been prouder of than this team. I mean, these guys are unbelievable, and they are great human beings. At Michigan, you have to be a great student. There are very high standards on how to conduct themselves. It is truly the full package."
Now that the season has ended, the Whittingham era has begun.
It's time to get used to it.
Category: General Sports
