Utah Utes’ Worst Nightmare of Kyle Whittingham Leaving for Michigan Comes True

With the exit of the No. 1 recruit of the 2026 class, Utah’s locker room faces a major blow. The four-star athlete left within a week after enrollment, which can be traced to Kyle Whittingham’s move to Michigan. While the timing could not be worse, reports suggest that the receiver is well aware of his transfer destination even before entering the portal.

According to Chris Hummer of CBS Sports, Utah 2026 signee Salesi Moa entered the transfer portal on Monday evening, January 12, with a ‘do not contact’ tag, typically suggesting that he’s already made up his mind on his transfer destination. Moa was originally committed to Tennessee but flipped his commitment to Utah the day after the early signing period.

Apart from him, former offensive coordinator Jason Beck left alongside assistant coaches Jim Harding, Micah Simon, Lewis Powell, Koy Detmer Jr., and Doug Elisaia, have also left since longtime coach Kyle Whittingham exited the program for Michigan on December 26. Meanwhile, the Utes continue to face the ripple effects of this transfer.

Advertisement

Moa claimed it was a very difficult decision to make, and had to make the decision considering his long-term and short-term goals.

“It was really hard because I love Morgan Scalley, and I have a lot of respect for Chad Bumphis, the new WR coach, as well,” Salesi Moa said, per On3’s Greg Biggins. “Utah is always going to be close to my heart…it is a big stage, but I want to play on an even bigger stage.”

Moa is the No. 5 athlete of the 2026 class, who could play on either side of the ball, and the scouting report reveals that he’s most likely fit for the wide receiver role. As a prospect from Fremont High School in Ogden, Utah, he was named Utah Region 5 MVP and had offers from 24 top schools across the country. He is now available on the portal, after two brief stints at Tennessee and Utah.

While the ‘no contact tag’ started a lot of buzz about his future destination, reports reveal that he’s trending toward Michigan already.

Advertisement

Michigan emerges as the favorite for Salesi Moa

According to a report by On3’s Pete Nakos, Michigan is the likely destination for Salesi Moa in the transfer portal.

“Michigan is currently trending to land a transfer wide receiver, sources tell On3’s Steve Wiltfong and I,” Pete Nakos wrote. “We’ve logged predictions in favor of Kyle Whittingham’s program landing a commitment from Utah short-term Salesi Moa. The top-ranked recruit out of Utah in the cycle projects as a wide receiver for the Wolverines.”

This might be a little hyperbolic, but Michigan football has long been connected to Salesi Moa, but they were never on the same page. The Wolverines’ old staff tried their best to recruit Moa as a DB, but he was committed to Kyle Whittingham and Utah as a wide receiver. The 6-foot-2 prospect even visited Ann Arbor this November for a game.

Advertisement

He signed with Utah just days before Whittingham was announced as the head coach of Michigan, and now the Wolverines could likely add their dream recruit to their roster. With Brady Marchese leaving for Auburn, Moa could be a great fit for the Wolverines and could make dynamic plays along with Travis Johnson, Jaime Ffrench, and JJ Buchanan, who Whittingham’s staff just brought through the transfer portal.

The post Utah Utes’ Worst Nightmare of Kyle Whittingham Leaving for Michigan Comes True appeared first on EssentiallySports.