Whit’s enough of a competitor that he just might do this. I’m sure it eats at him that he hasn’t reached the pinnacle.
Morgan may need to tap into the Otro money quick, and get (especially) Beck, Harding, Elliss, Shah, and Swan set.
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This. And the players as well.
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If Whitt decides to raid Utah his legacy will be severely tarnished.
Especially after he’s spent years complaining about what college football has become and the system itself
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As a person of a certain age, like Whitt, sometimes it’s nice to be wanted but really you just want to relax and take some time to enjoy things.
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I agree. But on the complaining part, he’s been mostly a “this is the new reality, we better adjust” kind of thinker.
There’s another side of Whit that doesn’t like criticism. He’s built up some thick skin, but the expectations in Ann Arbor make SLC look like the grade school PTA.
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Honestly this reminds me of cops and firefighters who can’t ever leave.
Because their entire identity becomes what their job is.
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Yes and no.
He’s been subtle at it, but it’s clear he finds it distasteful.
And he’s going to a school with a history of cheating to win (and looking the other way, it’s clear UM knew about issues with Sherrone for over a year)
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They need him and his uprightness more than he needs them, but it seems clear that he feels he can actually win a Natty there as opposed to fighting uphill at Utah.
ESPN says 5 year deal.
If it’s at the amount I’m guessing that’s insane money for him and his family.
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So the “I am a Utah Man” shirt he was wearing this season … not so much? I want to know whether he was forced out here or grew unhappy about something. So odd.
If he gets a 5 year 60m contract and doesn’t poach staff or players on the way out I’ll be fully happy for him. And he can still have a statue and our thanks imho.
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This is key.
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Some of the chatter among (apparent) insiders is after Sitake got $9.5M, Whit asked for $10M & 5 years. Dude still is a competitor.
Remember about 10 years ago when negotiations with Chris Hill got ugly and spilled out in the public? As he said, “that was unfortunate”… but it gave us a glimpse of the level of competitiveness.
The snag is he’s talked in the past about not wanting to coach after 65, like Lavell, then went to the extent of naming Scalley HC in waiting.
Not wanting to end on a season like last year is understandable. But then wanting another 5 years at $10M? Was Morgan really supposed to wait 6 years after being named?
If he can avoid raiding the staff on the way out, hope things are patched up enough to give him a salute in Vegas.
I still give it a 20% chance he doesn’t go through with it. Down from 60%.
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Michigan folks are saying the local reporting there is saying that the deal is done, just waiting for official announcement.
A bittersweet ending, to be sure.
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I am really shocked by this. Was he forced out at Utah? Was he just sick of being here? Did he want a new challenge? Was this his plan along–to step down after this season and then go elsewhere?
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LOL @ Kyle pulling a Karl Malone
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Remember in 2004 when Rick Majerus resigned at Utah and was then hired at USC? Then he resigned from USC a week later. That was nuts. Not saying that will happen here.
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Kyle may want to hold family reunions somewhere other than Utah for a while.
He’s really angered a lot of people.
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Meh. I don’t blame him. It’s the business of college football and Utah’s place on the food chain.
As much as Utah fans don’t like to admit it, we are NOT Michigan. We are a place where coaches and players can go to excel in the hopes that they can eventually get to a place like Michigan.
In the new world of unregulated NIL and transfer portal, Utah is essentially, a farm team for the big boys. Kids and coaches can come ball out here so the coaches at blue blood schools can come in and pick and choose who they want. Whit’s dedicated 20+ year tenure is a huge anomaly that we’re unlikely to ever see again.
Now there will always be exceptions where players turn down bigger offers for whatever reasons (money, playing time, family, etc) but most of the time Utah - and every other school outside of the 15-20 “blue bloods - are simply stepping stones for truly elite players and coaches.
Not saying I like any of that, but it’s what college football has become. It sucks, but unless we become “new money” à la Texas Tech (and I’m not sure the PE really does that), that’s unlikely to change.
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Harsh reality, but true. I’ve chosen acceptance of this concept. Watching Scalley’s game #1 almost effortlessly begin, helped me get there.
Go Utes!
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