Kyle Whittingham Sends Michigan Coach to Lure Alabama Commit Into Flipping to Wolverines

Michigan is not giving up on Alabama commit Colt Lumpris. Kyle Whittingham wants the 2027 tight end badly and is trying to make that interest feel personal. That effort is already leaving an impression on Lumpris, and the next step showed just how serious Michigan is.

Kyle Whittingham sent his tight end coach, Freddie Whittingham, to Colt Lumpris’s high school, the Lawrenceville, to make a personal impact on him. This even made a solid impression on Lumpris, as he thanked Whittingham for visiting and making him feel special.

“Thanks @FWhittinghamJr for spending time with us at school and pulling up to the game!” Lumpris said. Lumpris pledged to the Crimson Tide back in December, but Michigan knows high school recruits are never truly locked in this early. By sending a coach to New Jersey for face-to-face time, the Wolverines are actively planting seeds of doubt about his Alabama future.

Michigan is trying hard to recruit four-star tight end Colt Lumpris, even though he is already committed to Alabama. He is an important target for Michigan in the 2027 class, and they want him to change his decision and join them. Lumpris already visited Ann Arbor in April and even praised them for their culture and coaching mindset. But what stood out for him was how well Michigan made him understand his position on the team.

“I feel that I fit in as a receiving threat,” Lumpris said. “Like their big wide receiver. I feel like they get developed and get the ball. Coach (Freddie) Whitt is a great guy. I love talking with him, really about anything. But then, as a coach, he will get you to where you need to be. After meeting with head coach (Kyle) Whitt, I feel he’s a great coach from the conversations I’ve had.”

Freddie Whittingham is a very experienced coach. He worked at Utah for more than 10 years, mainly coaching tight ends, before moving to Michigan. Kyle didn’t just send any staffer; he sent his brother. He also worked in roles like recruiting coordinator and player personnel director. On top of that, he is also good at developing players like Dalton Kincaid and Brant Kuithe, who became really successful.

Freddie followed Kyle from Utah to Ann Arbor in early 2026, bringing a decade of elite tight end development with him. Trusting his own family to handle this recruitment shows how highly the head coach views Lumpris. But Michigan has a tough fight against other top teams that are also trying to flip Lumpris from Alabama. There are teams like Penn State, Texas A&M, Florida, and Rutgers in the mix. However, Kyle Whittingham’s personal relationship factor can turn things around for them.

Thanks @FWhittinghamJr for spending time with us at school and pulling up to the game! pic.twitter.com/49r9IRBj36

— Colt Lumpris (@coltlumpris) May 3, 2026

On top of it, even Alabama’s TE development is pretty solid. The team is very good at developing tight ends, and Josh Cuevas is a good example. He followed Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Alabama and improved a lot. He became a “complete” tight end, meaning he can both catch the ball and block well.

The coaching staff focuses more on players being safe with the ball and doing many roles, not just getting big stats. That’s why their tight ends are reliable. In fact, during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the whole tight end group had only two dropped passes, which shows how consistent they are. So, let’s wait and see if Michigan can actually double down on its flip target or not. But he is not the only one Kyle Whittingham is targeting.

Kyle Whittingham eyes another key player for the 2027 class

Four-star quarterback Dane Weber is becoming a very popular player in the 2027 class. He still has not chosen a team, but many colleges are trying hard to recruit him, especially UCLA and Cal. Right now, UCLA and Cal have the best chances to get him because they are building strong relationships with him. But Michigan is also showing strong interest. They are trying hard to get him and have already set an official visit with him for June 11.

He recently released his top eight schools, and Michigan football is included in that group along with Oregon, UCLA, Cal, Stanford, Kansas State, Kansas, and Cincinnati. This shows that Michigan is seriously in his plans and remains a strong option for him.

Weber is a very productive quarterback. In 2024, he completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,660 yards and 27 touchdowns with only three interceptions in 11 games. He also added 834 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns, showing he can make plays both in the air and on the ground. Now, if all goes as per Kyle Whittingham’s plan and their visit goes well, they might get Weber’s commitment and solidify their team.