John Henry Daley, recognized as one of the most disruptive talents in the transfer portal, is transferring institutions while retaining the same head coach.
Following a distinguished career at Utah, Daley will join Kyle Whittingham at Michigan, a move confirmed by Pete Nakos of On3. Whittingham concluded his 21-season tenure overseeing the Utes and has since taken over from Sherrone Moore as the Wolverines’ new head coach. Whittingham’s team will gain an immediate advantage with Daley’s presence.
Daley retains two years of collegiate eligibility. The formidable 6-foot-4, 255-pound defensive end accumulated 11.5 sacks throughout the 2025 season, placing him in a tie for the nation’s sixth-highest total for the current year.
His decision to enter the transfer portal was made public on December 30th.
“I extend my gratitude to my teammates, coaches, and the Ute community for their outstanding encouragement over my two seasons here,” stated Daley, originally from Alpine, Utah, in a message he shared on social platforms then.
“The memories forged during my time here will endure indefinitely. The circle of individuals I consider family has expanded considerably, and I will forever treasure these connections.”
Daley emerged prominently as a redshirt sophomore for the 11-2 Utah squad, achieving All-America recognition. His 17.5 tackles for loss (TFLs) positioned him in a tie for the fifth-highest among all FBS players this year. Remarkably, he compiled these statistics over merely 11 contests.
A lower-body injury, which ended his season, occurred on November 22nd during a 51-47 victory against Kansas State. In that particular matchup, Daley registered two sacks and 3.5 TFLs.
Upon his announcement to enter the portal, Daley affirmed in his declaration that he anticipates being “completely recovered” by the spring season.
During the current season, Daley was a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, an honor presented yearly to college football’s premier defensive athlete, despite this being his inaugural year as a starter. Significant expectations will accompany him to Ann Arbor, where he will rejoin Whittingham’s coaching.
