Less than three months after the abrupt firing of head coach Sherrone Moore and the ensuing scandal that rocked the program, Michigan football is moving forward on the recruiting front under new coach Kyle Whittingham.
The Wolverines announced Tuesday the hiring of Skylar Phan as a front-office staffer focused on recruiting strategy. Phan joins Michigan after serving as director of recruiting strategy at USC, where she played a key role in the Trojans securing the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class for 2026 — a sharp rise from No. 13 in 2025 and No. 17 in 2024, according to 247Sports rankings.
Terms of Phan’s role at Michigan were not immediately disclosed, but sources indicated it will center on overseeing official and unofficial visits, crafting individualized recruiting plans and strengthening relationships with top prospects and their families. The move adds another high-profile off-field hire for Whittingham, who took over after Moore’s termination and has already brought in former Notre Dame general manager Dave Peloquin to lead the personnel department.
Michigan hires Skylar Phan, to personnel department. 👀
Potential roles: Overseeing all officials and unofficial visits. 🔥
Formerly:
Director of Recruiting Strategy for USC
Recruiting Assistant for Texas#GoBlue〽️ pic.twitter.com/KkZ16fzttM— TJ Ronin (@Tj_Ronin) March 3, 2026
Moore was fired Dec. 10, 2025, for cause following a university investigation that found he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a female staff member. Hours later, he was arrested and charged with felony third-degree home invasion and misdemeanors of stalking in a domestic relationship and breaking and entering. Additional allegations surfaced in recent weeks involving a former Michigan assistant coach, though Moore’s attorney has denied any wrongdoing on his part, and the cops were caught doing shady things, according to the judge in the case.
Whittingham, who previously coached at Utah, has wasted little time reshaping Michigan’s support staff as the program seeks to stabilize after the turmoil. Recruiting experts described Phan as one of the top off-field hires in college football, with prior experience at Texas, North Texas and an internship with the Las Vegas Raiders. Her West Coast background is expected to help Michigan compete more aggressively in California and beyond, an area the Wolverines have targeted in recent cycles.
Steve Wiltfong of Rivals called Phan “a top off-field staffer” on social media, while Zach Shaw of The Michigan Insider confirmed the hire Tuesday afternoon.
The timing of the announcement comes as Michigan prepares for spring practice and the transfer portal window, with Whittingham emphasizing the need for elite talent acquisition to return the program to Big Ten and national contention.
No further details on Phan’s start date or additional staff changes were released.
Flip the pages for photos of Ms. Phan.
