Busy bowl for new coach

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A flat tire isn't the only reason Kyle Whittingham hasn't been able to ride his bike in Arizona.

Utah's longtime defensive coordinator, who will officially replace Urban Meyer as head coach on Jan. 2, simply hasn't had time.

"I've been trying to do three or four things at once," said Whittingham. ". . . I've got a lot on my plate right now, but it's been good. It's better than the alternative."

Besides helping to get the Utes ready to face Pittsburgh in Saturday's Fiesta Bowl, Whittingham has been busy assembling a new coaching staff, working to oversee recruiting and preparing to send his son Tyler off on an LDS Church mission to Brazil.

"I think he's handling it great," said senior cornerback Bo Nagahi. "I think coach Whittingham is doing a great job. I wouldn't expect anything less. He's a good man and he's also a great coach. He can handle everything."

Even so, Nagahi acknowledges the coach is dealing with a lot of things.

"He's really impressed me — just the way he's handled the entire situation," said senior linebacker Tommy Hackenbruck. "I think it's been hard on coach Whittingham, but I think he's handled it extremely well and made the players feel comfortable."

The latter is one reason Whittingham opted to accept the head coaching job at Utah instead of his alma mater BYU. He told reporters at the Fiesta Bowl that leaving the Utes just never felt right because of his association with and appreciation for the players.

"It was the worst experience of my life," Whittingham said of the two days he wrestled with the offers. He called the process agonizing and gut-wrenching. "Once it was over, it was a relief."

So, too, was news that his son's reporting date to the Missionary Training Center in Provo had been moved back seven days to Jan. 4.

"I don't know what happened. We got a call from our stake president shortly after the press conference back in Salt Lake, and he said it had been moved until one week later," said Whittingham. "I don't know who did it, but whoever did I owe a tremendous amount of thanks to. It worked out just right."

That's exactly how Meyer feels about Whittingham's impending promotion to head coach. He recommended him for the job.