The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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66 THE WOLVERINE ❱ FEBRUARY 2026 T o say Urban Meyer was a thorn in Michigan's side during his time at Ohio State would be an understate- ment. Despite leaving under the dark cloud of suspicion, shame, whatever you want to call it that accompanies most coaches on their way out of Columbus, he was a "Wolverine killer" whose 7-0 record against U-M has se- cured him god-like status for the rest of his days. As a Michigan fan, you didn't have to like him and some of his methods — or, frankly, the way he did some things — but it was impossible not to respect the excellence he demanded and the winning that came with it. Talent rules, of course, but as we found with Jim Harbaugh in Ann Arbor, when that's equal (or close), it's the attention to detail and "little things" that win championships. So … when Meyer talks, you listen. Like Woody Hayes and Bo Schem- bechler, he always had one eye on the rival, building a better understanding of the enemy than many might have of their own team. We paid close attention when he of- fered his opinion on his former assistant and good friend Kyle Whittingham after the former Utah coach accepted an offer to become Michigan's 22nd coach. "For all my distaste for the Wolver- ines, my respect is there," Meyer said. "You've got you a hell of a coach. He's going to put together a great staff. He is an organizational nutjob. "You go out and watch practice, and you and your boys will go, 'Holy [crap]. That's what it's supposed to look like. That's what it's supposed to sound like.' It's a line-of-scrimmage game. I can say I'm really excited for Kyle." It resonated with the fans in Colum- bus, too, who finally got to celebrate a win over Michigan for the first time since 2019 this year. But despite the 13- 10 upset at OSU in 2024, one of the most stunning in series history, realistic U-M fans knew the worm was turning and that it wouldn't last forever. Even before we knew what former coach Sherrone Moore was doing behind the scenes, the cracks in the foundation were there, leaks springing. Radio personality Colin Cowherd said out loud last September what many of us secretly feared. "I think Ohio State is going to own this series for the next 10 years," he said on a show with FOX analyst Joel Klatt. "Ohio State is going to run that series for a decade. "Ohio State is the only SEC team north. The fans, the talk, the relentless- ness, the commitment. …" It's impressive. And while they might have sold their soul at times to get there, the Buckeyes decided at some point they were never — never — going to take a backseat to "That Team Up North." Hayes had made it his mission in life, and he lived it until his protégé Schembechler took the job in 1969 and turned the tide. Michigan, meanwhile, had been about coaching turnover after Lloyd Carr's retirement, agendas, and — as interim athletics director Jim Hackett said before hiring Harbaugh — "experimenting." You simply can't afford to do that anymore. While we hoped Moore would work in succeed- ing Harbaugh and thought it possible if he kept the entire staff around him, it became clear in Year 1 that wasn't go- ing to happen. He plugged a few holes in the dam with Mason Graham- and Kenneth Grant- sized bubble gum in surprising OSU, but only the timing and circumstances surrounding his firing Dec. 10 were surprising. We'd heard the whispers for over a year, and frankly, Michi- gan deserved better. They got it with Whitting- ham, who at 66 has good years left in the tank and is the perfect guy to clean up the program's image. Like Carr on his way out when he said "the neighborhood got tougher" with Mark Dantonio at the helm at MSU, everyone paid attention to get Meyer's opinion on the latest U-M hire. "Yes, there's a rivalry, there's hatred, but you name someone that respects that school more than me and I'd prob- ably argue with you," he said. "I have so much respect. Bo Schembechler was a friend. The reason we worked so hard to beat their ass was because we respected them so much. We worked on them ev- ery day — every day of our careers. "When Kyle told me [about the job], I said, 'Kyle, it's a no-brainer. You could win a national title there.'" We'd have loved to see the two square off in another 10-year war like the 1970s. For now, though, we'll accept the endorsement, understanding that Michigan just upgraded in a big, big way. When you've got the enemy's atten- tion, you know you've done something right. ❏ Of Kyle Whittingham's hiring at Michigan, former Ohio State coach and current FOX analyst Urban Meyer said, "For all my distaste for the Wolverines, my respect is there. You've got you a hell of a coach." PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN Chris Balas has been with The Wolverine since 1997. Contact him at cbalas@ thewolverine.com and follow him on X (Twitter) @Balas _ Wolverine. INSIDE MICHIGAN ❱ CHRIS BALAS Keep Your Friends Close ...