With a championship architect gone, Michigan scrambles to redefine its front office. Who will manage NIL and the portal for the new regime?
The departure of General Manager Sean Magee marks the end of an era in Michigan’s front office, but for new head coach Kyle Whittingham, it represents the final step in a total cultural recalibration. Magee was the architect behind the scenes of Michigan’s 2023 National Championship roster and the man who famously flipped No. 1 recruit Bryce Underwood from LSU.
However, Whittingham has historically operated with a "closed-loop" system, preferring lieutenants who understand his specific brand of developmental football. With Magee, Director of Player Personnel Albert Karschnia, and Recruiting Director Sam Popper all out, the Wolverines are looking for a new "General" to manage NIL, the transfer portal, and roster construction.
Here are the primary candidates to lead Michigan’s front office into the Whittingham era.
The Frontrunner: Robert Blechen
Current Role: Former General Manager, Utah Utes
If history is any indication, the search likely starts and ends with Robert Blechen. Blechen served as Whittingham’s right-hand man at Utah for over a decade, overseeing the Utes' transition from a Pac-12 newcomer to a back-to-back conference champion.
• The Fit: Blechen is the primary reason Utah consistently "out-evaluated" the rest of the country. He specialized in finding three-star prospects with five-star traits—the exact philosophy Whittingham is expected to bring to Ann Arbor.
• The Challenge: While Blechen is a master of talent identification, Michigan’s GM role requires navigating a much more aggressive NIL landscape than the one in Salt Lake City.
The "Coming Home" Candidate: Courtney Morgan
Current Role: General Manager, Washington Huskies (formerly at Alabama)
Michigan fans are intimately familiar with Courtney Morgan. He was the catalyst for Michigan’s 2021 recruiting resurgence before being lured away by Kalen DeBoer. Morgan is widely considered one of the top three GMs in college football and has a proven track record of winning in the Big Ten.
• The Fit: Morgan understands the "Michigan Man" ethos but pairs it with a modern, NFL-style approach to roster management. He has deep ties to the West Coast—a region Whittingham knows well—and would be the ultimate bridge between the "old" Michigan and the new regime.
• The Challenge: Morgan is highly valued at Washington; Michigan would likely have to make him the highest-paid GM in the country to secure his return.
The NFL Liaison: Zach Terry
Current Role: Director of Player Personnel/General Manager, Multiple Power 4 Programs
As college football shifts toward a professional model, many programs are looking for GMs who have lived in both worlds. Zach Terry (or similar "rising stars" in the personnel world) represents the new breed of administrator who treats the transfer portal like the NFL free-agency wire.
• The Fit: Whittingham’s coaching style is essentially "NFL Lite." Hiring a GM with professional scouting roots would align perfectly with a coach who values pro-style schemes and physical development.
• The Challenge: Lacking previous ties to Whittingham or Michigan, a candidate like Terry would have to quickly earn the trust of a staff that is largely comprised of Utah transplants.
What the New GM Inherits
Whoever takes the keys from Magee isn't walking into a rebuild—they are walking into a Ferrari.
1. Bryce Underwood: Keeping the generational QB talent in the fold is the #1 priority.
2. NIL Infrastructure: Magee left behind a robust relationship with the Champions Circle collective.
3. The Whittingham Standard: The new GM must find "tough, smart, dependable" players who fit a 4-year developmental track, not just 1-year rentals.
The move to part with Magee was a shock to many, but it signals that Kyle Whittingham is fully in control of the building. The hire of the next General Manager will dictate whether Michigan remains a "Top 5" recruiting power or shifts back to a "development-first" program that prioritizes culture over stars.