After 20 years of success, this is Whit’s first failure of a season

[AlohaUte]

It’s crazy wanting him fired for this. You don’t fire or force a guy out because he has one awful coaching season. The man built Utah football into new heights it’s never seen before. Turned the school from a basketball school to a football school. Now all the sudden he has one awful season and you all want him fired. It’s idiocy. He’s earned and he’s deserved the chance to right the ship over the next few seasons if he wants to. And I for one welcome him to. He’s earned the benefit of the doubt.

I suspect that many of you that are calling for him to be fired or to leave right now are the same folks who idiotically called for his head in 2012 and 2013 when we were struggling in our adjustment to the Pac-12. Thank the lord Chris Hill didn’t have your sentiments.

And before you all start yelling about last season, the man still went 8-5 with what was essentially an FCS team in the Pac-12. It was one of his best coaching seasons IMO. And yes, there is plenty to criticize him about, namely his handling of the QB situation.

[Utes 69]

don’t forget the losing bowl streak going on now either please.

[AlohaUte]

Meh, that’s minor in the scheme of things. Though it does suck.

[Trailgoat]

Utah had an overall losing conference record the first 8 years of playing in the P12. 2019 was the first year Utah got over the hump to an overall P12 winning record. Utah’s conference record the first 10 years in the P12 2011-2020 (counting covid year, 3-2) is 45-41. Makes sense KW dumped all his chips on Rising after the 2021 and 2022 P12 championship seasons. KW can blame it on injuries, NIL, etc. Bottom line is KW had two of his best seasons during the P12 and failed to build on that success heading to a 6-12 conference record over the past two years. KW could never overcome the limelight curse of getting his team to play as winners.

[EagleMountainUte]

You straw manned your argument in the second paragraph. I can’t think of anyone on Utehub that was calling for whitt to leave in 2012 or 2013. If that helps you feel better about wagging your finger at these imaginary people go right ahead. It just isn’t reasonable.

I have said Fire Harlan for three years now. Which is related to current situation Utah is in.

Watching his media admissions on Monday makes it seem like he needs to retire. He won’t, way too much money to leave on the table. I have never said fire because that is embarrassing but it also seems like it would not make sense fiscally.

Why I bring up his statements on Monday is because he doesn’t get it. He still doesn’t understand the future of football. Which leads me to hindsight the handling of Rising and the QB room.

[AlohaUte]

I’m genuinely curious, why the hate for Harlan? I don’t get it. The whole sports program at the U seems to be doing really well. FB (aside from this season), WBB, Skiing, WVB, etc etc. The only program really failing that I know of is MBB.

[EagleMountainUte]

Whitts deal was a bad deal.
Craig Smith hire was royally messed up. Combined with the firing of Larry K who I felt should have just gone for another year. Nothing screamed immediacy in getting Craig Smith.

His recent comments against the big12 were idiotic. Shows his general lack of long term foresight. Utah is in a good position to potentially move up when the final conferences happen but criticizing officiating isn’t a good look. Especially with amount of run time it got nationally.

I don’t know if he was directly responsible for giving Utah a complete out of the Big12 but that is most the positive thing I will give him. Fundraising for facilities went well but now the gears need to shift to getting talent.

[2008 National Champ]

inserting himself on the field of play before the game had ended to throw a tantrum was enough for me.

[EagleMountainUte]

I have heard that is how he has been since the Larry K firing. Emotional and irrational. Call it confirmation bias but it was just ridiculous. Air that s**t behind close doors or hell WAIT for a better angle.

[2008 National Champ]

I’ve never met Harlan or Whittingham but it sure looks from 30,000 feet as if there is rot at the top of the program.

Let’s look at the luminaries who have beaten top 5 Head Coach and the GOAT of Utah Head Coaches:

Brent Brennan, career G5 HC in 1st year at Arizona (38-54, .413 career record)
Kenny Dillingham, 2nd year as head coach ever (11-11, .500)
Sonny Dykes, 15 year HC split evenly between G5 and P5, (95-76, .556 overall, 43-43 as P5, .500)
Willie Fritz, career G5 HC in 1st year at Houston (75-60, .556)
Kalani Sitake, the man Utah fan laughed at for years, (70-42, .625)
Deion Sanders, the coach Utah fan said could never win at Colorado (12-10, .545)

It’s not that Whitt is having his first losing season in over a decade that’s the problem. It’s the fact that he is in very real danger of losing 8 straight games (which is a fireable offense at every school in the country) and who he is losing to. Because that’s not a murderer’s row of coaches and/or programs. If you expected Utah to go 6-0 before the season against those coaches, how can you say that Whittingham deserves another season?

[EagleMountainUte]

These losses shouldn’t have happened either. Some of them are against equally bad teams where you failed to score or move the ball. So to frame it as first failure in 20 years is almost an understatement. This is the worst Utah football has been since the 80’s. That is crazy. With a very talented roster and you can’t score more than 21-28 points each week against pathetic defenses? Arizona hasn’t won since that time.

You also had incredible fan support at these home losses. Failure is an understatement imo.

[Rick Walker]

Arizona won last Saturday but yeah your point remains.

[EagleMountainUte]

Yeah didn’t really pay attention to the conference anymore.

The perspective of being picked to run through the Big12 to playing for last place is where Utah football is at. That is absolutely garbage and any other coach would be terminated.

Politely asking Whitt to step down is what should happen.

[Trailgoat]

Program is a mess right now. Agree on fan support. Attended the TCU game, place was packed and fans going crazy. MUSS looks bigger every time I get to a home game. The BYU game looked even more crazy from the couch with the camera shaking. I expect more of the same Saturday. Looking forward to Scalley to add a fresh approach to an already solid foundation he played a big role in building. KW’s done amazing work and it’s okay for him to start his new role as a consultant. I have to think KW is going to have a key role at the admin role if he wants it. Dude has national college football clout. KN now talks a lot more about the future in his pressers than he ever has. These guys are smart and guessing there’s a plan already in place we don’t know about. I am optimistic about the future once MS takes over.

[NorthernUte]

The whining about the refs sent me through the roof. Nobody should be doing that, completely wrong timing, wrong place, wrong season. I don’t want him being fired but there is a part of me that thinks the guy is a loser for that, no one with a quarter of a brain cell gets up on that podium and says that. It looked extraordinarily entitled and I hated every second of it.

[Rick]

I don’t think UteHub existed in 2012 so of course there were no calls to fire Whitt. I remember on a certain other Utah fan site that there were numerous calls for his head after both 2012 and 2013 seasons. That Whitt was not a PAC 12 level coach, etc.

If Whitt wants to stay and fix this, I think the University owes him that much. If he has another season like this one, I think he will retire himself.

[AlohaUte]

It was around that time when it started, I moved from Hawaii in late 2013 and my username is AlohaUte, so I know I created this account in that time frame. Regardless, this isn’t the only place Ute fans congregate, whether then or now. And a lot of the fans here used to be on UF.N and Twitter.

[Rick]

Well the copyright is for 2015 so probably not.

[Tony (admin)]

Where’s that?

[2008 National Champ]

bottom of the page. right above your name.

© Copyright 2015-2024
Website and Mobile App by Tony Korologos

[Tony (admin)]

Ha totally forgot about that

[lgt4141]

Whittingham doesn’t want to retire after losing to BYU and having a losing season. He has earned the right to fix things and see what happens. This season has sucked but does Whitt leaving magically mean Scalley will become the next head coach and make the CFP? As others have said Scalley will have some growing pains too.

[2008 National Champ]

Don’t make a change because it might not get better? That’s the rallying cry heard right before every failure in history. Well, I suppose “watch this” and “hold my beer” count for some failures but they are just as ridiculous. No one ever succeeded by saying right now is as good as it can ever be.

[AlohaUte]

Go look at how many teams made the change because it wasn’t quite the success they wanted but it was still good. I give you Nebraska as exhibit A and Colorado as Exhibit B. Both had coaches a couple decades ago who were solid, not great (following great coaches at those schools) and both canned their coaches only to hire failures and drove them into the pits. I think Michigan State falls into this category, Auburn certainly does, and so does Florida.

You don’t fire a proven commodity and a great coach because of one down season and mismanaged QB situation. That is reactionary and bad leadership and the surest way for us to become Maryland and be largely irrelevant for the forseeable future. And even though we are in a bit of a more positive situation with Scalley, there’s no guarantee he’ll carry on the Whittingham success.

[2008 National Champ]

Is there a guarantee that Whittingham will carry on the Whittingham success?

[EagleMountainUte]

If Utah is able to pay 20-30 million dollars out for players between 2024 and 2025 yes. That is basically what Whitt has conceded.

[AlohaUte]

Certainly not, but a heckuva lot better shot than alternative options.

[UM4G]

I think the flip side to that is that I recall many asking how we would replace Urban Meyer. A negative is not the only possible outcome nor should it scare us into accepting the status quo.

[Jim Vanderhoof]

I agree with everything you said Aloha. One thing to consider is Whitt has said he is ready to retire at anytime. Scalley has been hired to replace him. Essentially a lame duck coach. Now a losing season and some chaos in the program. Convincing good players to stay will be crucial. Scalley can promise a change on offense while maintaining the defense and overall culture.

I know they didn’t want yo lose Scalley but coach in waiting shouldn’t be more than 1 year. Recruits want to know who they will be playing for.

[AlohaUte]

I’m perfectly ok if Whit retires. That’s his choice and right. But he shouldn’t be fired and I personally think that those calling for him to be out are crazy.

[ProudUte]

Aloha, I respect that you want Whitt to stay. I completely get it.

Let me ask you these questions:

In your opinion, can Whitt save this program as it sits now?

If so, what does he do differently?

If Whitt is the best guy to turn it around – I am all for it. But, I just don’t think that he is. IMO, we need some new young blood and significant changes.

[Jim Vanderhoof]

Glorifying a coach and then firing him is not a good look for your program. I think he is done. This year has been hard on him. He expected to go out with a CFP bid and walk away in the sunset. He needs to do what’s best for the program. He is working side by side with Scalley on the new OC which is a good sign.

[Utes 69]

news flash Aloha Ute, sucking in bowl games could hamper recruiting, lets look at the whole picture here. Utes offense has sucked an changes are needed now.

[DataUte]

Bowl games (non playoff) are now trash. A quarter (at least) of most teams are in the portal, declare for the draft, or opt out. I just told someone it’s stupid to bet on bowl games at all because you don’t know who will actually be playing.

It was nice to have the 8-1 bowl record under Whit or whatever it was, but that was the old regime of college football. Now, if it’s not CFP, bowl games are exhibitions and the only benefit is giving the teams extra time to practice and start the spring development early (if those players even end up staying).

[Utes 69]

if bowl games are trash, then why go? I spent a lot of time and money last year to watch in Vegas, and not to see some half ass offense BS.

[AlohaUte]

That’s an easy answer, more practice time and development time. Whit has mentioned this on numerous occasions over the years.

[Utes 69]

you just said they did not matter? they do for several reasons.

[2008 National Champ]

Never expect consistency out of someone who is making an irrational argument

[Utes 69]

you just said they did not matter? they do for several reasons.

[Rick]

Exactly. No one cares at all about bowl game performances anymore. If you are not in the playoffs, no one cares nor most will not even watch. With the players opting out for the NFL, entering the portal before the bowl game, etc. non-playoff bowl games are a complete joke and lend zero credence to recruiting.

[China Rider]

I’m with Aloha Ute on this. Coach has earned his bonafides. Yes there is a lot of frustration but you don’t put someone out to pasture until all doubt has been removed. I too remember years two and three during the PAC era and the clamor to have Coach run out of town. Harlan’s comment about the Big 12 a couple of weekends ago resonate with Ute fan. His #1 job as far as I’m concerned is to get us out of this league we find ourselves in. This is a mistake that needs fixing priority one. As for bowl games, if you are not in the twelve, you’re not in the twelve. Anything on the outside is nothing more than meaningless exhibition play. You know it. I know it. The players know it.

Last two years have been a eye opener and the whole injury bug thing is like being a born loser under the thunder clouds. Coach is right when he says that today’s game is a money game. Do we want to be a player or be average. The money needs to step up to the plate or we need to get into the new PAC. It’s not Coach’s immediate future we need to be concerned with, it’s who do we want to be that is looming.

[HATUman]

Nm

[CityCreekUte]

Fire Harlan before Whitt. Whitt has generally been a high floor low ceiling. This is the first year of completely epic futility including the initial pac12 years where talent wise we were pretty far behind.

Harlan is the one who f**ked up the conference stuff. He’s not doing anything special with any particular sport. Hell just lost the brightest spot for his tenure the WBB coach today.

[2008 National Champ]

Are we sure it was Harlan who wrecked the conference stuff? By all accounts, it was Randall as part of the Pac-12 Presidents that was clueless about valuation when it came to negotiating the new TV deal. I can’t find the quote but most of the other schools blame Randall for coming up with the 50 MM or bust stance Kliavkoff took with ESPN and Fox. Harlan needs to own his part in where Utah sports are at right now, and losing your WBB coach during the season isn’t a good look, but I doubt the AD was making decisions at the conference level. At least not in a vacuum.

Add Farden to the list of coaches Harlan either screwed up the hire or allowed to be in a position w/o the proper oversight. If the current state of football and men’s basketball weren’t enough to move on from Harlan, the debacle of allowing Farden to keep coaching after abuse allegations were leveled should have been.

[noneyadb]

Harlan should be fired for his comments and actions following tds game.
Whitt should step aside and take the advisory role/Special Teams coach after this season.
If Scalley is heavily involved in the OC hire and that OC wants his own staff is Whitt going to fire Harding, Ganther, Freddie, etc? Or does Scalley have to pick an OC that appeases Whitt?
Let Scalley start fresh.
Go down to Northern Texas and hire their OC and OL coaches. Overhaul the Offensive staff and build for a playoff run in 2026.

[noneyadb]

Harlan should be fired for his comments and actions following tds game.
Whitt should step aside and take the advisory role/Special Teams coach after this season.
If Scalley is heavily involved in the OC hire and that OC wants his own staff is Whitt going to fire Harding, Ganther, Freddie, etc? Or does Scalley have to pick an OC that appeases Whitt?
Let Scalley start fresh.
Go down to Northern Texas and hire their OC and OL coaches. Overhaul the Offensive staff and build for a playoff run in 2026.

[Author]

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