Coach Whitt Leaves Coaching Decision Open Ended

For twenty years Kyle Whittingham has roamed the Utah sideline on game days directing the Utes to many terrific feats and accolades.

From 7 double digit winning seasons, Fiesta Bowl victories, Pac-12 titles and a 2009 Sugar Bowl win over Alabama, it’s impossible to think of the best of Utah football without seeing Whittingham involved.

“Whitt” came into this season as the second longest tenured coach at one school and his 162 (166 now) victories at the time gave him the 12^th best standing among active FBS coaches for overall wins.

With such a resume being paired with a Utah Utes team pegged as preseason favorites over the Big 12, one could imagine how disappointing Utah’s 4-7 season has been this year.

It’s taken a toll on the fans, the players and yes the coaching staff.

Utah hasn’t had a full season (not counting you 2020) with 5 or less wins, something that is guaranteed to happen this year, since consecutive 5-7 season in 2012 and 2013.

In fact, those are the only times in Coach Whittingham’s Utah career as a head coach in which the Utes have not at, bare minimum, qualified for a bowl game. (Once again not looking at you 2020 COVID year.)

A 4-8, 5-7 year will be a rarity in Salt Lake City and with such high expectations met with such disappointing realities, choices will have to be made.

And no choice looms larger than that of Coach Kyle Whittingham.

Prior to this season, before anyone knew the harshness of the 2024 season, Utah named defensive coordinator, Morgan Scalley, the “head coach in waiting.”

Meaning, that as soon as Whitt called it a career, Scalley was the next man up.

This wasn't a sign that Whitt was on the way out or that they wanted a change of scenery at the U of U, but more so an announcement that Utah felt comfortable down the road with whoever was at the helm.

That being said, you likely don’t name someone a “head coach in waiting” if your current head coach is committed for ten more years.

Somewhere, someway and somehow the concept of Whittingham hanging it up had emerged, when that would be however is only a guess, and Utah made sure they were prepared regardless.

If Utah ran the Big 12 table and made noise in the postseason would that be enough to send the 11 time bowl winner off into the sunset?

Or if they struggled, like they have, would it wear him out to the point of no return?

Or would either scenario be enough for him to come back for one or two more goes?

No one knows, and as of today, Whittingham himself still may not know.

On the Sean O’Connell show today with ESPN 700, Whittingham said he will do what is best for the Utah football program when it comes down to him saddling up one more year.

Typically, no one knows what's better for the team than the head coach themselves, meaning Whittingham likely has a direction or feeling of how this should go, but he isn't willing to share quite yet.

So thus, we wait, and until the announcement is imminent, we can only piece half the puzzle together.

A long time successful and respected head coach coming off a bad year with an apprentice waiting in the wings.

It could literally go either way and it would make sense.

As far as if Whitt comes back to try and end on a strong note or decides to live a more stress free life away from the gridiron is something we should know soon, but it wont be until Kyle Whittingham is ready to say.