The school up north is in need of a new president.
The University of Florida announced Sunday that Dr. Santa J. Ono, the current president of the University of Michigan, was unanimously recommended to its Board of Trustees as the sole finalist to be the university’s next president. Shortly after Florida’s announcement, Ono announced in a Michigan news release that he plans to accept the position at Florida.
Ono has been Michigan’s president since October 2022. His departure for Florida comes less than seven months after he received an eight-year contract extension at Michigan.
Ono did not specify in his statement why he has chosen to leave Michigan for Florida, but his departure comes as the wait continues for the NCAA to issue its ruling against the Michigan football program for its sign-stealing operation led by Connor Stalions.
Ono was among the Michigan leaders who publicly backed former coach Jim Harbaugh when he served multiple suspensions during the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship season before leaving to become the head coach of the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers.
“I just want to say very, very clearly – and it’s no secret to people – I trust the guy,” Ono said of Harbaugh in November 2023. “I think he is one of the great coaches out there, in both the NFL and NCAA, and the football team loves him. His coaches love him. I think the greatest sign of a great coach is that the team wins whether or not he’s on the sideline.”
