Utah has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against former tight ends coach Freddie Whittingham, according to multiple reports on Thursday. The suit was filed back on Aug. 3.
The brother of former Utah and current Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham, Freddie Whittingham spent 2012-25 on his older brother's staff, first as director of player personnel and then as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. After Kyle Whittingham took the Michigan job on Dec. 26, 2025, Utah's suit alleges Freddie was informed by associate AD Jeff Rudy that he was still under contract with the Utes on Jan. 1 (the day after Utah's Las Vegas Bowl win over Nebraska), but he was spotted cleaning out his office later that night and appeared at a Wolverines basketball game alongside Kyle the following day. The lawsuit also alleges Freddie recruited an active Utes player and a just-signed recruit to follow him to Michigan, which both did.
Utah is seeking $300,000 for breach of contract, plus at least $1 million in punitive damages. Freddie was under contract through Jan. 31, 2027, with a salary of $525,000. That contract's buyout clause dictated Whittingham would pay 75 percent of the remaining salary on the contract.
He signed a 2-year contract at Michigan worth $600,000 in 2026 and $650,000 in '27, plus a signing bonus of $605,000 at the discretion of AD Warde Manuel.
Freddie was one of five assistants to follow Kyle Whittingham from Salt Lake City to Ann Arbor, but he is the only coach subject to a lawsuit.
In addition to his $41 million contract with Michigan, Kyle Whittingham also received a $13.5 million transition bonus from Utah despite documents revealing AD Mark Harlan weighed wether or not to sue him for breach of contract. "As you know, the University was disappointed by your actions last month," Harlan wrote in a letter to Whittingham. "The University felt your involvement with recruiting our football coaches and staff to Michigan was contrary to the terms of your employment agreement which requires you to assist with a smooth and successful transition of the football program to the new head coach and his coaching staff."
Ultimately, Harlan and Utah felt paying Whittingham an 8-figure exit fee, rather than suing him, was in the best interest of Utah and "your legacy as our long-time football coach."
Obviously, no such feelings existed about Kyle Whittingham's assistant and younger brother.