Posted on Nov. 18, posted 4:40 p.m., last updated 5:15 p.m.
Lloyd Carr, the third-winningest coach in Michigan football history, will announce his retirement after 12-plus seasons as the Wolverines’ head coach, players confirmed today.
The official announcement will likely come Monday morning at a 10 a.m. press conference held at the Junge Champions Center.
Carr told his players of his decision at a team meeting this afternoon.
“He’s not going to be here any longer, but he enjoyed the moments that he had to spend with us,” senior linebacker Chris Graham said. “It’s a sad thing to hear, but I enjoyed every moment of being here with him. He’s a great coach to me. He’s like another father figure. Just having him here is the whole reason why I came.”
The 62-year-old coach, who replaced former Michigan coach Gary Moeller in 1995, has posted a 121-40 record during his coaching tenure.
In just his third year as head coach, Carr led the Wolverines to their first National Championship in nearly half a century – a feat legendary coach Bo Schembechler never accomplished.
But after going 5-1 in his first six games against rival Ohio State, Carr is just 1-6 in his last seven against the Buckeyes.
The Wolverines made a bowl game each year under Carr’s tutelage, but finished with a 5-7 mark in those games.
Athletic Director Bill Martin plans to talk to him for input on a replacement. But Martin also said it’s his call on who will become Michigan’s fourth coach in the past 40 years.
“I would certainly talk to him about it, I’d be crazy not to with his knowledge of coaches in this country,” Martin said following Saturday’s 14-3 loss to Ohio State. “Ultimately the buck stops with me, and I make the final decision.”
Carr will coach the team’s bowl game.
Keep checking michigandaily.com for more on this breaking news situation.
– Daniel Bromwich and Jack Herman contributed to this report.