When it comes to involvement in the BYU-Utah rivalry, Kyle Whittingham may stand alone. The coach of the Utes has quite a streak going. For 35 years, there's been an attachment in one shape or form.

It all started in 1973 when Whittingham's late father, Fred, was an assistant coach for the Cougars. Kyle was 14 years old at the time and was on hand for BYU's 46-22 win in Salt Lake City.

"I didn't know much about the rivalry," he recalled. "It was all new to me."

Things changed, however, as the teen grew older.

"It wasn't really impressed upon me — the intensity of the rivalry — probably until I got to high school," Whittingham said.

"Then I started to get the full flavor of it."

From 1978-81, he was fully invested in the rivalry as a BYU linebacker — earning conference defensive player of the year honors as a senior. The Cougars went 3-1 against the Utes during that era.

"There's no substitute for playing. No substitute at all," Whittingham said. "My most vivid memories and emotions come from the games as a player."

One such memory, he noted, was watching Utah's Del "Popcorn" Rodgers run 80 yards for a touchdown on the first snap of the 1981 game in Provo.

"We ended up winning 56-28," Whittingham said. "But I remember 'Popcorn' going right by me, going by everybody."

Kyle and his dad left the program after that season, though Kyle did come back for a stint as a graduate assistant from 1985-86.

Younger siblings Cary, Freddie and Brady kept the family connection with the rivalry going before, during and after while playing for the Cougars.

In 1992, Fred Whittingham returned from a long stint in the NFL and took a coaching job at Utah. Kyle said he became a Ute fan overnight.

One year later, Kyle was on the red sideline when Utah defeated BYU 34-31 to end a 22-year drought in Provo. He joined the Utes' staff the next season (working with his father until following him as defensive coordinator in 1995) and began a tenure with the program that has existed ever since.

"It makes me feel old. I've seen the rivalry from a lot of different angles, a lot of different perspectives," Whittingham said of his 35-year association with the rivalry. "I can't believe it's been that long, but it has."

As such, he likes the series as a whole. Choosing a favorite BYU-Utah memory is difficult.

"I don't think there's any one particular moment. There's so many things," said Whittingham, who recalled Utah's 3-0 win in 2003; the dramatic field-goal conclusions in 1993 and 1998; and the climatic finishes the past three years. "There's probably eight to 10 memories that stand out."

When BYU and Utah play it's special.

"It's a great rivalry. In my estimation — and I haven't been in the middle of Michigan-Ohio State or UCLA-USC — but I can't imagine them being more passionate or intense than this rivalry," Whittingham said. "We don't get the national exposure that some of those other ones do as far as in-state pride and just sheer passion. I think it's second to nobody."

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E-mail: dirk@desnews.com