Freddie Whittingham

Fred Whittingham Jr. (born March 16, 1966) is an American college football coach and former player. He is the tight ends coach at the University of Michigan, a position he has held since 2026. Whittingham previously coached at the University of Utah from 2012 until 2025. He played college football for the BYU Cougars as a running back. He is the son of Fred Whittingham, and the younger brother of Cary and Kyle Whittingham.

Playing career Whittingham was raised in Provo, Utah and played as a running back at Provo High School as a freshman and sophomore. After his father accepted a job coaching the Los Angeles Rams in 1982, he attended El Modena High School as a junior and senior. In 1982, Whittingham rushed for over 1,000 yards as a newcomer to the team. In 1983, he rushed for over 700 yards before sustaining an injury during his senior year. The 1983 team was the California Interscholastic Federation champions.

In 1984, Whittingham committed to play college football for the BYU Cougars. His older brother, Cary Whittingham, was a starting linebacker on the team. The 1984 Cougars won the FBS national championship and Freddie appeared as a fullback, carrying the ball 25 times for 67 yards and a touchdown.

In 1990, Whittingham earned a roster spot with the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL), as a member of their practice squad. In 1991, he played for the San Antonio Riders in the World League of American Football.

Coaching career After his playing career came to an end, Whittingham went back and completed his bachelor’s degree in psychology at in 1992. He spent 20 years involved in higher education, encompassing universities and colleges, working as a sales and marketing executive for McGraw-Hill and Simon & Schuster. In 2016, he was promoted to the tight ends coach and the recruiting coordinator. He remained in that role until 2025, coaching All-Americans such as Dalton Kincaid. On August 3, 2026, the University of Utah sued Whittingham for breach of contract. The suit alleges that he abandoned his job as Utah's tight ends coach, despite being under contract through January 2027, while not requesting "written consent" to engage in talks with Michigan nor gave a "written notice of resignation" and "actively recruited Utah players and recruits to Michigan while still employed by Utah."

Personal life Whittingham is the son of Nancy and Fred Whittingham. His father played in the NFL and was a coach for nearly 30 years. He has four siblings: Julia, Brady, Cary and Kyle Whittingham. His father and three brothers all played for the BYU Cougars.