Whittingham's record

Football
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From The Athletic:

There is no singular way to make this tier [Tier 1b. Tier 1 has only one coach in it: Sabin], though being at a historic power sure seems to help: These nine coaches work at programs that have claimed a combined 43 national titles. Yes, life can be pretty good at the top — which makes what Fickell and Whittingham have accomplished at their respective schools all the more impressive…

…To put what Whittingham has done in perspective, remember that he took over Utah in 2005, when the program was still in the Mountain West. He not only has taken the Utes to 14 bowl games, but he also has posted seven AP Top 25 finishes — the Utes totaled three ranked finishes before he took over — including a No. 2 mark after beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl in 2008.

Whittingham has won 10 or more games six times, and Utah’s three Pac-12 South championships match USC for the most in the soon-to-be-defunct division. It all led to a conference championship and Rose Bowl appearance last season, and now Utah is the preseason Pac-12 favorite and could contend for a Playoff berth in 2022…"

Here’s the whole article (paywalled):

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Whitt is definitely a coaching institution. He showed Utah a football game could be more than a cocktail party, as it had been through the 1980’s. When he decides he is done, I hope they have something planned to honor him the right way.

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Seems to me that if he keeps going the way he is for the next two or three years, and then retires, there ought to be a statue of him up somewhere. Maybe in the football facility.

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I’ve said it before but it bears repeating…he or his agent (most likely) contacted Heritage Hall about the job opening in 2009. They didn’t even return the call. Thought it was better to hire Lane Kiffin.

Doh! What could have been.

FTFO!

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U$C’s loss. Breaks my heart. (sarcasm there if you couldn’t tell)

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I would argue there should be a statue of him when he retires, regardless of what he does the next 2-3 years.

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He’s 62. Why would he retire now?

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Could be. I’d be thrilled with that result.

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Put the statue in Temple Square just to piss off you know who.

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Lo, hast thou been cleansed from your unrighteousness? Hast thou confessed thine evil speaking of the Lord’s anointed ball coach?

Let us rejoice! LAUte hast come home!

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He’s proven himself beyond any shadow of doubt. I know this with every fiber of my being. Get that fatted calf ready!

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Some additional praise and a fair ranking for Whitt.

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The key paragraph:

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I think Whit’s too low, but their logic for why he’s where he is at is at least understandable.

I just don’t get the love for Lincoln Riley. Therefore I think he’s waaaaay too high in the rankings. His teams are almost universally one dimensional. Maybe the “experts” know something I don’t.

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He coaches at higher profile programs. Therefore he must be better. That’s the only thing I can think of.

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Sounds as reasonable an explanation as any that are out there.

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The differentiators between Whitt and those ranked above him is they have all appeared in the championship series.

I don’t get the continued love for Chip Kelly. He hasn’t been great since his Oregon days.

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Using their rubric, if Whitt makes it to the CFP this year, he will move to the top 5. If he wins the CFP, he moves to #3.

Satan and Kirby will be 1 and 2.

Based on longevity and body of work, he will be a standard by which others are measured…like Bear Bryant.

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At my former place of employment the manager of the department I worked in gave all the best ratings to the supervisors. His rationale was “well, my supervisors are supposed to be my best people”.

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I suppose they should be your best people, but that’s not always the case. There is such a thing as the Peter Principle, get promoted to the level of your incompetence. But I think I’m preaching to the choir on that one.

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