Allegations Against Michigan’s Head Coach Kyle Whittingham by Former Utah Players

Michigan Wolverines head coach Kyle Whittingham faces allegations from former players who were part of his teams at the University of Utah. Six players, including Van Fillinger, accused him of pressuring them to return from injuries before they fully healed.

Speaking with Jason Batacao from The Salt Lake Tribune, Fillinger recounted an incident involving his broken tibia. Initially, he agreed to take a redshirt season to recover. However, when another pass rusher tore his ACL, Fillinger claimed his position coach changed plans, pressuring him to play.

Fillinger quoted his position coach, Lewis Powell, saying, “Coach Kyle Whittingham is not going to let you redshirt,” leaving Fillinger feeling he had no choice but to play. “[The coach] said that I’ll be kicked off the team if I don’t play,” Fillinger stated.

Whittingham is now leading the Wolverines, and Michigan’s spokesperson directed inquiries to Utah, saying, “Coach Whittingham or his coaching staff did not make medical decisions [at Utah]. He followed the lead of the medical team.”

University of Utah Health and the athletic department emphasized that student health is a “top priority.” They assured adherence to University and national guidelines for student success and safety, continually evaluating processes to make necessary adjustments. They encouraged students to voice concerns regarding unfair treatment or ignored injuries. “We welcome the opportunity to make adjustments,” their statement read.

Jaylon Glover, another former player, noted the discrepancy between the training and coaching staff approaches. “I feel like a lot of the times the training staff would be on one page, but the coaching staff was on another,” he said, emphasizing the focus on immediate player return.