Jay Hill Exiting BYU To Join Michigan Wolverines Staff
Jan 1, 2026, 10:43 AM | Updated: Jan 2, 2026, 11:28 am
Jay Hill will join Kyle Whittingham on the Michigan Wolverines staff. (Isaac Hale, Deseret News)
(Isaac Hale, Deseret News)
PROVO, Utah – Jay Hill is joining Kyle Whittingham to be the defensive coordinator on Whittingham’s Michigan Wolverines coaching staff. That, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Sources: BYU DC Jay Hill has officially agreed to become Michigan’s defensive coordinator. He’d been Kyle Whittingham’s target since he took over at Michigan.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 1, 2026
Along with Jay Hill to Michigan, Whittingham has targeted coaches from inside the Beehive State. It’s also been reported that Whittingham is adding former BYU quarterback and Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck to lead the Wolverines’ offense.
The BYU defensive coordinator/associate head coach is leaving the Cougars to take the defensive coordinator position under Whittingham in Ann Arbor.
Hill leaves for Michigan after three seasons at BYU.
During the three years Hill was on BYU’s staff, the Cougars won 28 games. BYU ranked No. 1 in the Big 12 in total defense during the 2024 season.
In 2025, they finished fourth in the Big 12 in scoring defense and 21st nationally, allowing only 19.0 points per game.
In addition to serving as defensive coordinator, Hill was the Associate Head Coach on Kalani Sitake’s staff.
Jay Hill snapshot
Hill played for Kyle Whittingham during his time as a cornerback/safety for the University of Utah in 1998 and 1999. Following his playing career, Hill coached on Whittingham’s staff from the first year Whittingham became Utah’s head coach in 2005.
Hill coached at Utah from 2005 to 2013 before becoming the head coach at Weber State. In December of 2022, Hill joined Kalani Sitake on BYU’s staff.
Hill inherited a BYU defense that was struggling before his arrival. In three short years, he helped turn it around into one of the best defenses in the Big 12.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
