The Disconnect

[HATUman]

It’s becoming clear that Utah football’s relationship with its fanbase has grown increasingly strained. Coach Whittingham and his staff have tightened access to the point where both fans and media are feeling shut out. Practices are closed, and interviews with coaches and players offer little more than vague, carefully controlled responses. This shift has left many supporters frustrated, creating a disconnect between the team and the fans who have loyally followed the program for years.

The motivation behind these decisions seems to come from Coach Whittingham’s belief that even the smallest piece of information could give opponents an edge. While secrecy can be a useful tactic, it appears the program has become overly paranoid, prioritizing information control over meaningful fan engagement. The downside to this approach is that it risks alienating the very people who make college football special: the fans.

Many successful programs find ways to balance strategy with transparency, offering controlled media access or fan events without compromising competitive advantage. Utah fans, known for their loyalty and passion, would likely appreciate small gestures—like open scrimmages or detailed injury updates—to help them feel more connected to the team.

Ultimately, while keeping some things under wraps is understandable, shutting out fans and media entirely isn’t sustainable. Trust and excitement are built through open communication, and the program should consider ways to reconnect with the fanbase. Utah football’s success has always been fueled by the energy of its supporters—rekindling that connection could make a big difference on and off the field.

[Tony (admin)]

Excellent post.

[MFury]

Clear minded at 1:19 am after a hard to watch beating. Wow.

Well said.

[2008 National Champ]

Yeah, somebody needs to check his Mt. Dew to make sure he’s not spiking it with PED’s

[crash11]

Weddle said yesterday, doesn’t do the gamesmanship. “We know what you have, you know what we have and the best team will win” Doesn’t get the hiding of injuries etc. Disagrees with Whitt’s strategy

[RoboUte]

He can hold practice in the basement of the pentagon next to the alien bodies and give press statements through dead drops in a cipher for all I care. The product on the field is all that matters. If we were good all of this is just noise.

However, it is real. And I believe it’s taking a toll on our team culture.

[Holladay Ute]

Any competitive advantage they’ve gotten from the secrecy has more than backfired on them. They proved that tonight.

[Charlie Foxtrot]

Especially in the online world we all live in today. It only fuels the flames of rampant speculation waiting for some insider to smuggle out the information and give it to Brent McMurphy.

[BD]

I agree. When Whitt closed the spring scrimmages to the public I was p**sed. But for selfish reasons – I just enjoyed going to them.

But closing fall camp almost 100% to the media has consequences.

Since then, the team has been way over-hyped. No inside information. Just “we’re a top 5 team” with nobody left to give an alternative view of the team and more importantly nobody to hold accountable any deficiency in the team and nobody to question if the team just might not be nearly as good as advertised.

When someone might question the team’s real potential in the fall it can’t be evaluated because nobody knows! Nobody has really seen the team. Just believe the narrative- we’re going to run the conference.

So we get the over-hyped narrative. Obnoxious fans on X run their mouths with “we’re going to run over the XII” that ultimately embarrasses the rest of us.

I had more fun with a 4-2 team years ago that had to lunchpail themselves with far less talent to every win vs a 4-2 team that is underachieving with better talent.

And it began when the public and media were shut out and now nobody can ask the tough questions. Just dumb questions like “what needs to improve?” Or “how are the players feeling right now?”

[HATUman]

I couldn’t agree more. The program sets the expectations because they leave us with no other source of information. When those expectations aren’t met, it becomes a huge letdown, and now more than ever, even the most diehard fans are talking about walking away.

From 2013 to 2016, I had the incredible privilege of being an athletic training student at the U, with one of my rotations being with Utah Football. I was with the players every day—taping their ankles, providing treatments, watching them at practice, eating beside them, and building friendships with both players and coaches. I traveled with the team, stood on the sidelines during games, and experienced the highs and lows right alongside them—consoling them after tough losses and celebrating after big wins. That time made me feel like I was part of the program.

Since then, I’ve been searching for any little connection that could bring me closer to the team again. But the lack of transparency makes it really hard to stay engaged. I see other programs that do a better job of fostering a fan experience, and it’s incredibly frustrating.

For those who think I should just go root for another team, you’re missing the point. This program is a part of me—Utah football is in my DNA. But right now, the relationship feels strained. I’m not saying I want to walk away, but I do want more from the program for the fans. We want to feel connected again, and it’s hard when we’re kept at such a distance.

[Utah#1]

Totally agree! Whitt has turned into the MSM version of FAKE NEWS, which means he’s hiding the truth about team’s status and won’t be transparent. I believe that has significantly hurt the team’s ability to perform on the field and has resulted in two straight loses. If he’s trying to prevent the opponent from gaining an advantage, that’s no longer a factor anymore because his mishandling of the QB status I believe affected his own player’s performance, therefore giving the opponent even a greater advantage then they already had.

I just think he wanted to hide the fact that Utah is not as good as the hype led on to believe and he didn’t want anyone to know that. If they lose more games which I now believe they will based of the last two games, there is no one else to blame but Coach Whittingham himself.

[EagleMountainUte]

I agree but I don’t think it is careful or controlled at all.
Rising’s injury reports last season were far from controlled. I know many thought it was a carefully crafted narrative. It was far from that when you know how it went down live.

This season? Same thing. You have no idea how they are evaluating Rising’s injury in practice. If a player is able to play I would imagine you put him in scenarios that you are going to see on gameday and then evaluate that.

2023 and 2024 just seems like Rising sponging up empty reps from the team.
I blame Coach Whitt first and foremost because even Wilson buys into the poorly crafted narrative.

You can’t tell me that Rising was ready to play against Okie State and even Arizona. I guess Whitt can hide behind the early injury to Rising’s leg against ASU as the main cause of his inability to throw. That is bulls**t again. Whitt is gaslighting its fan base and lying.

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