The University of Utah is suing Freddie Whittingham, claiming that the former Utes tight ends coach breached his contract.
Kyle Whittingham, Freddie’s brother, stepped down from his position as Utah’s head coach on Dec. 12 and was hired as Michigan’s head coach on Dec 26. CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported on Jan. 1, 2026, that “Utah tight ends coach Freddie Whittingham is set to be hired as part of the staff at Michigan,” and Michigan officially announced the hiring on Jan. 7.
Freddie Whittingham was seen at a Michigan basketball game on Jan. 2 with Kyle Whittingham, standing behind Kyle as he addressed the crowd.
“First order of business was to assemble a great assistant coaching staff,” Kyle Whittingham said at the game. He then gestured toward the coaches standing behind him, including Freddie, and said, “They’re here.”
Utah, which filed the lawsuit against Freddie Whittingham on Aug. 3 in Salt Lake City’s 3rd District Court, claims that on or about Jan. 1, 2026, Freddie Whittingham “called and spoke with Utah Associate Athletic Director for Administration Jeff Rudy about F. Whittingham’s employment status.”
Rudy informed Freddie Whittingham that “he remained employed by Utah through the term of the Employment Agreement.” Freddie Whittingham’s contract with Utah goes through Jan. 31, 2027.
According to the lawsuit, which was reviewed by the Deseret News, “At no time did F. Whittingham obtain written consent from Utah to seek, negotiate for, or accept full-time or part-time employment by Michigan or any other employer.”
The lawsuit went on to say, “F. Whittingham did not send Utah a resignation letter or other formal notice that he was terminating the Employment Agreement” and “Utah did not terminate the Employment Agreement.”
The University of Utah declined to comment on the lawsuit when contacted by the Deseret News, and the University of Michigan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit claims that Freddie Whittingham “abandoned” his position at Utah.
At 10 p.m. on Jan. 1, the lawsuit says Rudy observed Freddie Whittingham clearing out his office at the Utah football facility. At 11 p.m., Rudy walked into Freddie Whittingham’s office and “found it empty of all of F. Whittingham’s personal belongings.”
Utah was hosting multiple recruits “on or around Jan. 3,” per the lawsuit, and all assistant coaches were expected to attend and participate. Instead of attending and participating in the hosting of recruits at Utah, the lawsuit alleges, “F. Whittingham spent time discussing and negotiating an assistant coach position at Michigan.”
On Jan. 3, Michigan associate athletic director Jerry Wood sent an email to a Utah Athletic Department employee requesting that “Utah transfer F. Whittingham’s cell phone line, which Utah paid for, to Michigan’s account.”
Utah alleges, “on information and belief,” that Freddie Whittingham actively recruited Utah players and recruits to Michigan while still employed by Utah.
Five Utah players transferred to Michigan — tight end/wide receiver JJ Buchanan; cornerback Smith Snowden; defensive tackle Jonah Lea’ea; defensive end John Henry Daley; and freshman receiver/safety Salesi Moa.
Utah also alleges that Whittingham has, to this date, made “no payment of the liquidated damages specified in the Employment Agreement to Utah.”
Freddie Whittingham’s contract, included as an exhibit in the lawsuit, specifies that if he voluntarily terminates the employment agreement, that he will pay the university an “annual amount for each year (or partial year on a pro-rated basis) of the Term remaining equal to 75% of the compensation amount ... ”
Freddie Whittingham made $525,000 annually and had a little over a year remaining on his contract.
Per the lawsuit, Freddie Whittingham texted Rudy on Jan. 3 and informed him of his “understanding that Michigan’s athletic director was going to reach out to Utah’s athletic director ‘to see if he would work with us on the (liquidated damages) buyout.’”
The lawsuit says that the Utah athletic department emailed Freddie Whittingham on Jan. 16 regarding the “liquidated damages payment obligation in the Employment Agreement” and requested payment and written confirmation of payment terms. Utah notified Freddie Whittingham that payment in full or a first monthly payment must be made no later than Jan. 31, 2026.
Freddie Whittingham responded on Jan. 21, disputing that he owed liquidated damages under the employment agreement.
Per the lawsuit, “additional communications between Utah and F. Whittingham have not been successful in resolving the parties’ disagreement over payment of liquidated damages.”
Freddie Whittingham, per the lawsuit, is the only coach that left Utah for Michigan to not be “in compliance with their contractual obligations for payment of liquidated damages to Utah.”
Offensive coordinator Jason Beck, offensive line coach Jim Harding, receivers coach Micah Simon, quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer Jr. and defensive ends coach Lewis Powell were the other coaches that left Utah for Michigan.
The University of Utah is seeking damages for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in the amount of the “liquidated damages specified in the employment agreement plus interest.”
The school is also seeking general and special damages in an amount to be proven at trial but no less than $1 million for breach of fiduciary duty.
Utah alleges that “by reason of F. Whittingham’s employment by Utah in a position of public prominence and also by reason of the Employment Agreement, as amended, that he entered into with Utah, F. Whittingham owed fiduciary duties of care and loyalty to Utah and also owed a duty to avoid self-dealing or acting in ways that were harmful to Utah.”
The lawsuit further reads, “F. Whittingham breached his fiduciary duties to Utah when he abandoned his duties as an assistant coach at Utah; negotiated for and accepted a position as an assistant coach for Michigan without first obtaining written consent from Utah; failed to tender his resignation from Utah before accepting an assistant coaching position at Michigan and agreeing to participate in a public event at which he was announced as an assistant coach for Michigan while still under contract with Utah; and actively engaging in efforts to recruit student-athletes, including Utah student-athletes, to Michigan while still under contract with Utah to devote full time and energy to his duties as an assistant coach for Utah.”
Freddie Whittingham’s “breaches of fiduciary duties caused significant injury to Utah,” per the lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, Utah demands a jury trial.
