Next Michigan Coach Odds: Clear Favorite Emerges After Moore Firing

• An SEC coach leads Michigan’s next coach odds at 40% on Kalshi’s prediction market
• Two other Power 4 coaches round out the top three betting favorites
• Check out the full odds and analysis for who will coach Michigan next season

The Michigan coaching search is officially underway after the university fired Sherrone Moore for cause on Wednesday. Moore’s dismissal follows an investigation into an inappropriate relationship with a staff member, ending his tenure after just 18 games as Michigan head coach.

Prediction markets have already crowned their early favorites for who will coach Michigan. Kalshi’s odds board shows Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer leading a field that includes familiar Big Ten names and a few surprising longshots.

Here’s the complete breakdown of Michigan coaching candidates and their betting odds.

Next Michigan Coach Odds

Odds as of Dec. 10 at Kalshi prediction markets. Starting trading on Kalshi today with the Kalshi promo code.

KALSHI TRADING

Offer

T&Cs

Trade at Kalshi & Get a $10 bonus when you sign up today!

Must be 18+ years or older & residing in the United States. Other Terms & Conditions may apply.

LOCK IN PROMO

CODE: DIME

CODE: DIME

SIGNUP TODAY

GET A $10
BONUS

GET OFFER

Kalen DeBoer Michigan Coaching Favorite

Kalen DeBoer’s 40% probability makes him the clear favorite among Michigan coaching candidates. The Alabama head coach has seen his number jump 34 points since Moore’s firing, with bettors believing he could be pried away from Tuscaloosa after a rocky first season with the Crimson Tide.

DeBoer’s 10-3 record and College Football Playoff berth look solid on paper, but Alabama standards are different. The 28-7 loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship exposed some cracks, and there’s been chatter about whether DeBoer fits the SEC grinder mentality.

But I’m skeptical this actually happens. When Penn State came calling earlier this cycle, DeBoer shut it down immediately. “We are extremely happy at Alabama,” he told reporters. “There’s never been any link, any conversation, any interest either way.”

That’s about as definitive as it gets, and Michigan isn’t a clear upgrade from Alabama despite what Wolverines fans might think.

Other Michigan Coaching Candidates

After DeBoer, there are several other names that the prediction markets believe have a realistic shot at landing the Michigan job.

Jedd Fisch, Washington

Jedd Fisch sits at 23% probability and might be the most realistic target. The Washington head coach has Michigan ties, having served as Jim Harbaugh’s passing game coordinator from 2015-16. He knows the Big Ten landscape and runs a pro-style offense that fits Michigan’s identity.

Fisch’s 8-4 season at Washington wasn’t spectacular, but he’s proven he can rebuild programs. He turned Arizona around before heading to Seattle, and he’d likely jump at the chance to return to Ann Arbor for a blue-blood job.

Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State

Kenny Dillingham at 19% is the swing-for-the-fences option. The Arizona State head coach just led the Sun Devils to an 8-4 season and has built a reputation as an offensive innovator.

With Bryce Underwood on campus, Michigan needs someone who can maximize elite quarterback talent. Dillingham fits that profile, even if hiring him would be a massive leap from the Big 12 to the Big Ten.

Jesse Minter, NFL Coordinator

Jesse Minter doesn’t appear in the Kalshi odds, but he’s the name Michigan fans really want. The Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator was Michigan’s DC during the 2023 national championship run and knows the program inside and out. He also recruited Bryce Underwood during his time in Ann Arbor.

The problem? Minter’s likely headed for NFL head coaching interviews this offseason. He’s built one of the league’s top defenses in his first year with the Chargers, and pulling him back to college will be nearly impossible. It’s a nice thought, but don’t get your hopes up.

Michigan Coaching Longshots

Jon Gruden at 11% feels generous. The former NFL coach hasn’t coached college football since the 1980s, and Michigan just fired a coach for policy violations. Hiring someone with Gruden’s NFL email scandal baggage seems unlikely.

Marcus Freeman recently dropped 8 points to 4% despite Notre Dame’s season ending. The Irish went 10-2 but were controversially left out of the College Football Playoff despite their record. Freeman is firmly entrenched in South Bend and is reportedly closing in on a massive extension.

Lincoln Riley sits at 3% with USC’s top-ranked recruiting class locked up. I wouldn’t put serious money down on either Riley or Freeman walking away from their current situation.

Joe Brady (4%) and Brian Daboll (3%) are the current NFL coordinators on the board. Brady’s Buffalo Bills offense has regressed in 2025, while Daboll was fired by the Giants mid-season. Jeff Brohm (3%) is at his alma mater Louisville, and unlikely to leave.

Extreme Michigan Coach Longshots (Under 1%)

The extreme longshots read like a fever dream. Urban Meyer coached Ohio State, Michigan’s biggest rival, before retiring. Nick Saban retired after dominating at Alabama. Jim Harbaugh already left Michigan once and is now coaching the Chargers.

Bill Belichick made his college debut at North Carolina this season, but off-field issues followed him there. Tom Brady has never coached at any level. Matt Patricia’s disastrous Lions tenure and current role at Ohio State make his inclusion particularly amusing.

Brian Kelly could land on the next Michigan coach odds soon after LSU fired him earlier this season. But he’s likely a non-starter in Ann Arbor. Kelly’s tough to cheer for as a fan, and players haven’t always enjoyed playing for him. His program-hopping history doesn’t help the case: Central Michigan to Cincinnati to Notre Dame to LSU.

Michigan just dealt with consecutive scandals under Harbaugh and Moore. Adding a coach with baggage doesn’t fit what the program needs right now.

Michigan Coaching Search Timeline

Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel faces immense pressure to get this hire right. The transfer portal opens on January 2nd, giving the Wolverines less than three weeks to secure a coach who can retain players and stabilize recruiting.

The smart money seems to be on Fisch as the most realistic option, with Dillingham as the high-upside gamble. DeBoer would be the home run hire if Michigan can somehow pry him away from Alabama, but his recent comments point to him staying put.