Dave Portnoy once celebrated Kyle Whittingham’s arrival at Michigan as a major coaching coup. Now, as the Wolverines struggle through a difficult season, the Barstool Sports founder is calling for the coach to be fired—and even says he wants Michigan to keep losing.
“I want Michigan to lose every game by 1000 the rest of the season so we have no choice but to fire Whittingham,” Portnoy wrote on X.
The outburst marks a striking shift from his response to Whittingham’s appointment on December 26, 2025. At the time, Portnoy praised the hire, writing that Michigan had brought in Whittingham and that the “kings of college football” were back on top. He called it a “spectacular hire.”
Less than a year later, Portnoy is demanding that the coach he once welcomed to Ann Arbor be removed.
## Michigan’s offensive struggles fuel Portnoy’s frustration
Portnoy’s latest criticism followed weeks of frustration with Michigan’s offense. After the Wolverines suffered a 15-6 home loss to Michigan State on November 7, he called for both Whittingham and offensive coordinator Jason Beck to be fired. He described the defeat as the lowest point for Michigan football in his lifetime.
Beck was dismissed the following day, but Whittingham remained in charge. The coaching change did little to improve the team’s performance against Oregon.
The No. 16 Ducks quickly took control. Dylan Raiola connected with Jeremiah McClellan for a 60-yard touchdown on Oregon’s opening drive, then found Dierre Riggs for a two-yard score to make it 14-0. Michigan briefly responded when Savion Hiter ran for a 70-yard touchdown. But Raiola later threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Dakorien Moore, giving Oregon a 21-7 halftime lead.
Michigan’s passing attack struggled to keep pace. With 3:19 left in the third quarter, the Wolverines had completed just four of 14 passes for 41 yards. Tommy Carr was 2-of-8 for 15 yards, while Bryce Underwood completed two of six attempts for 26 yards.
Raiola, by contrast, had completed 15 of 21 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions.
## A difficult season for Whittingham
The problems against Oregon followed other low-scoring performances. Michigan entered its 10th game with a 5-4 overall record and a 2-4 mark in Big Ten play. The Wolverines had scored only six points against Indiana before struggling again in their loss to Michigan State.
Portnoy had already questioned Michigan’s play-calling and wondered why a roster he viewed as talented continued to underperform. The uncertainty at quarterback has added to the team’s instability: Carr and Underwood have shared opportunities, but the rotation has not produced consistent results. Beck’s dismissal also has yet to bring an evident turnaround.
Whittingham came to Ann Arbor after 21 seasons as Utah’s head coach. He arrived with a reputation for discipline and defensive strength, but his first season at Michigan has been marked by offensive inconsistency and questions about the quarterback position.
The Wolverines’ struggles have drawn additional attention because of the expectations surrounding the program. Michigan won the national championship after the 2023 season under Jim Harbaugh. Whittingham’s debut campaign has so far fallen well short of that standard.
## Coaches exchange criticism before Oregon matchup
The game also followed a public exchange about the resources available to the two programs. Before Saturday’s matchup, Whittingham suggested that Oregon benefited from more than $50 million in roster resources, while the amount remained an estimate. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning responded by questioning Michigan’s spending on coaches who had been dismissed.
On the field, Michigan’s early mistakes made the deficit harder to overcome. After forcing Oregon to punt in the opening quarter, the Wolverines gained only five yards before punting themselves. An unnecessary roughness penalty then gave the Ducks better field position, and Oregon turned the opportunity into another touchdown.
For Portnoy, those repeated failures have strengthened his criticism of Michigan’s coaching. His latest statement goes further than a call for the staff to be held accountable: he says he wants the team to lose badly enough to make a coaching change unavoidable.
Michigan still has two regular-season games remaining after Oregon. The Wolverines are scheduled to host ranked UCLA on November 21 before traveling to Columbus to face Ohio State on November 28. Those games could influence how Whittingham’s first season is assessed.
Portnoy, however, has already made his position clear. After initially presenting Whittingham’s appointment as a turning point for Michigan, he now believes the coach should be fired—and is openly rooting for losses he thinks could bring that outcome about.
