I’ll be forever thankful for the two trips to Pasadena that my crew and I were able to make. Time to turn the page.
I wish the best for both of them. I’ll say it here: Kyle Whittingham will have coached his last game a few weeks from now. I can only hope that we end up bowl eligible and it’s in the Holiday Bowl here in SD.
Best wishes with the rebuild, Morgan. Go Utes!
yup…I, along with most, had hoped for a different route to see the sunset.
Ludwig was OC for the Sugar Bowl team, two PAC12 championships and 2 Rose Bowls. Utah has only had 2 other seasons that match those three - the Fiesta Bowl and one year under Mac.
Rising took me to the Rose Bowl twice.
Nothing but grateful for those experiencs.
I agree. Especially in our Pac 12 experience. We were struggling mightily every year after we joined, until Ludwig came back to the program. I never understood the “fire Ludwig” chants. He has been present every time we were doing something remarkable, at least since 2008.
They both did us proud. Sorry to see things end this way. In some ways it is reminding me of Mac’s last season.
I remember. It was a classic case of poisoning the well by some Oregon fans.
When our offense in 2005 didn’t look like the Alex Smith Utes of 2004, some of that planted seed led to the chants.
Lud left the Utes on a high point after the Sugar Bowl, then returned, as we all know, to our benefit. Nothing but gratitude from me to AL and Rising for what they’ve done here.
I’m honestly not sure how Ludwig leaving does anything to help the Utes.
He’s gone so the AD can say someone’s being held accountable for the unexpectedly horrible performance this year.
Am I wrong?
Spot on, salUTE!
Did he jump because he’s tired of struggling in a Defense dominant team or get pushed?
“Stepped down” almost always means canned. But in this case, maybe not.
I could buy the idea that Andy Ludwig came to Kyle and just said that he just can’t do it any more except for one thing. I’m not saying I’m as skilled as someone like LA Ute (happy birthday, by the way) or Mr. Crimson (RIP) but I have carved out a pretty good career doing sales. People think you use your skill of persuasion to sell, but I don’t think so. You listen, particularly for what is said that didn’t need to be.
In his presser, Whitt made an especially unusual point of saying that Andy stepped aside entirely of his own volition. That really caught me. It didn’t need to be said and in my experience things that don’t need to be said are, that’s almost always a sign that someone’s not telling the truth. I don’t have any info, just my hunch.
I could see Whitt telling Ludwig, “we need a change, I’ve decided Mike will be calling the plays next Saturday” and Ludwig saying “then I’m done”
That fits the narrative of Ludwig stepping down on his own, by way of stripping him of his responsibilities and dignity. Just an example of how it may have gone down???
Another ogliarch fell out of a window today. It’s amazing how many people can’t stop leaning too far out of those windows…
Hoping this change doesn’t cause Wilson to transfer. From todays post-practice comments: “I committed here to play for Coach Ludwig”
A plausible theory. In the minds of significant donors (think Mr. Eccles, for example) we’ve gone from starting the season ranked 10th and being the consensus favorite for the conference championship, to losing three games in a row to teams we should’ve beaten.
Not to add salt to the wound, but it is possible that the team does NOT go bowling this year. Team needs 2 wins out of the next 5 if So Utah is counted, or 3 out of next 5 if not.
This has not been a good season, let alone the last 3 games.
You get to count one non-FBS game towards bowl eligibility.
Thanks for the clarification.
Football teams are complex organisms.
Egos, sobering of ambitions in camp, bruised egos, variable chemistry, injuries, rivalries, rolled eyes, resentments… hopefully all that gets supplicated to a core identity that is Team First with great player leadership and all the nagging human stuff gets demoted and diminished in the pursuit of something bigger than any individual.
Either we’re just not talented enough at offensive positions and the symphony sounds like garbage…or maybe things start to click with a new OC and some different play calling.
Remember, these are teenagers and young 20-somethings, human beings who haven’t fully developed their frontal cortex.
But we love them, anyway.