Biff Poggi talks preparing Michigan players for Citrus Bowl, interviewing for head coaching job
Michigan football continues its preparations for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against Texas on Dec. 31. Interim head coach Biff Poggi met with the media on Monday and addressed how the team is moving forward from the firing of Sherrone Moore and the scandal that followed.
Over the last two weeks, Poggi says they have taken steps to restore the Wolverines' culture and make football fun again for the student athletes.
"Last 10 days, we've changed basically everything," said Poggi. "Meetings are much shorter, kids are out of the building faster, practices are much shorter but much more up-tempo. You need to talk to them, but I think they're actually having fun playing football again."
Poggi also made it very clear that he is done with the Sherrone Moore saga.
"That whole situation is dead to me," said Poggi. "I'm not spending one second thinking about that nonsense."
Moore's firing was the latest in a long list of recent scandals for the program. Michigan fired the former coach nearly two weeks ago after the university said an investigation uncovered an "inappropriate relationship" with a female staff member.
Moore was detained hours later for an alleged assault. He was officially charged with home invasion, stalking and breaking and entering.
"Everything that happens in this building has to be reevaluated, quite frankly, because it is not up to standard," said Poggi. "It's been five years of, you know, let's just call it what it is, a malfunctioning organization. I know that the athletic director has made very clear: he doesn't want any more of that."
Michigan is still searching for a head coach. Poggi is interested and has interviewed for the position.
"If I am named the coach, which I don't know if I am, but there will be a massive self-examination of what happens in this building, and you can expect a lot of changes," said Poggi. "This place is magical, and the program means a lot to me. It's one of the things I want to fix before I go smoke myself to death with cigars. It's one of the things I want to fix."
Poggi said the university is hoping to name a full-time head coach before the Wolverines play in the Citrus Bowl.