Comments about ‘Brad Rock: Whit's Guys: When it comes to hiring, Kyle Whittingham sticks with people he knows’

It didn't work out with Andy Ludwig??? Excuse me? It was Ludwig's offense that steamrolled Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Utah was undefeated that year and ended the season ranked #2. At that point Ludwig was a very hot commodity and was lured away by higher paying jobs. If leaving because of great success isn't "working out", then let's have more of it!

Don't many coaches hire people they know and have worked with, developed a trust and bond with? Non-issue.

@Max
You have GOT to be sarcastic right now. Everyone and their dog knows that Brian Johnson was the mastermind of that offense. Most OCs will develop a gameplan after watching a bunch of film and then hand it to the QB and say learn it. Johnson was in the film room with Ludwig DEVELOPING the gameplan with him and then executing it on the field. You do know that Johnson called all the plays in the Sugar Bowl, right?? Johnson knew the offense just as much, if not more, than Ludwig, and that's not saying much. And Ludwig went to the "greener pastures" of Kansas State for about two months and then to Cal for only one year and is now at San Diego State.....what does that say to you?

I think you save a lot of time by hiring people close to home. Teams that bring in a whole new coaching staff every three years tend to waste a lot of time getting a system together and getting everyone used to it. They also waste a lot of time finding out that the guy who looks great on paper simply can't deliver when he gets the job or doesn't get along with the others on the staff. After eight years in the program as a player and coach, I suspect Brian knows how to work with coach Whit and what buttons never to press. I'm looking forward to seeing what he does with an offense that has often sputtered.

Brian Johnson was a phenomenal QB, so was Doman. They were both winners. The jury is still out on Doman and hasn't even been seated for Johnson. If it works out Whitt looks like a genius, if it doesn't count on another mediocre season and middle of the PAC 12 finish.

@ThomasJefferson

I'm not sure what you mean by "another mediocre" season. Going 8-5 in their first year in the PAC-12 against mostly all BCS-caliber teams is a very good accomplishment, especially when you add in four impressive out-of-conference victories over teams from the ACC, the Big East, and one of the best D-2 teams in the country. And a 54-10 thumping of their rival in their rivals own home. This was all accomplished without a proven D-1 quarterback.

Things are definitely looking good for the Utes. Coach Whitt is an outstanding coach, and, as the article points out, very loyal to those who have worked with him. This kind of loyalty usually pays off.

Basically Utah is being too cheap to pay for a experienced coaching staff.

Sure it makes sense to hire people that you know. I wonder, though, if Coach Whit proactively expands his sphere of contacts by participating in off season visits to other programs. Some other head coaches and their staff have engaged in these professional development coaching exchanges for quite a while now. I just haven't heard whether or not Whit or his coaches have done this.

@ GoRed

7 and 5 with a Bowl win is "mediocre" by anyone's standards and I certainly hope by Coach Whitt. The PAC 12 was horrible this year and the mantra that because a team is in a BCS conference means they are BCS caliber is false. If that were the case they'd all go to a BCS Bowl. One, maybe 2 teams a year in any given conference is of BCS caliber, the rest are just like everyone else. The PAC 12 had 1 BCS caliber team this year, the rest were just like everyone else. To put it into perspective, how many wins do you think they would have gotten in say the SEC? Probably 1! The team was mediocre this year and hopefully that will change next year. But a lot of that will have to do with the quality of the Offense and as BYU learned, an inexperienced OC has a ton to learn and mistakes will be made.

Just as a follow up to my previous comments and to make a point. As a NU grad and die hard Husker (GO BIG RED), we had a 9 and 4 season and by AKSARBEN standards, we had a mediocre season.

Gored

Time for some 'Memory Revitalizer'!

"I'm not sure what you mean by "another mediocre" season. Going 8-5 in their first year in the PAC-12 against mostly all BCS-caliber teams is a very good accomplishment, especially when you add in four impressive out-of-conference victories over teams from the ACC, the Big East, and one of the best D-2 teams in the country. And a 54-10 thumping of their rival in their rivals own home. This was all accomplished without a proven D-1 quarterback."

That's some new age 'urban legacy' you got going there, I'm impressed. I've always enjoyed cowboy poetry and now it's 'Ute yarns'.

You conveniently forgot to mention that the Utes were only 4-5 in their new conference, that's less than mediocre and I'm pretty sure in light of the hoopla that was all about the Utes being in a 'big boy' conference I'm willing to bet that's what Thomas Jefferson was referring to.

Best D2 team in the country... everyone was certainly impressed by that, kudos for beating a Big Sky opponent.

I will certainly give 'chest pounding' rights to your fluke 7 fumble assisted win, it was the Utes only quality win of the season.

And the "without a proven D-1 quarterback." comment is off the charts false.

Didn't Wynn played football for you guys and got injured a second time?

Your attempt of trying to sugar coat your 4-5 conference showing and losing to Colorado,the worst team in the conference, fell very flat.

Mediocre was a fair assessment of the situation, especially after Colorado, when the Utes lost their chance to win their division and advance to the conference championship.

Busted...

Re: somephonyg,
I can' think of a better reply to your blue-skewed nonsense than a quote from one of your brother trolls in arms;
hypocrisy, justification, rationalization, spin, desperation, excuses, deflection, etc....."

But thanks for caring and being a part of Ute Nation by nature of your obsession.

@sammyg

sammyg, my friend, aren't there some "BYU to the Big 12" conference rumors that you should be attending to?

When you know what it's like to play a big-time BCS schedule your comments on a Utah article will have more credibility.

Until then perhaps you should wait for that Big 12 phone call and the next round of BYU/WAC scheduling announcements.

Since when did the comment word allowance increase to 300 words? Conspiracy!

Looks like the old saying, "It's not what you know, but who you know" applies here.

The article is about U football and a coaching hire, not about a season review and comparisons to BYU. This certainly is a risky move by Whit but he has been successful with most of his hires in the past. Something about BJ stood out when he was the QB at Utah and clearly it is standing out again when being considered for a coaching position.

@sammyg - because you couldn't leave it alone, you deserve a reply. I'm sick and tired of hearing about the 'fluke' win over BYU this year. Yes 7 TO's is unusual but that doesn't make it a fluke. I guess that having 5 intereceptions in 2008 was also a fluke. And, don't forget the 5 TD runs in 2004, which clearly was another fluke. Funny how these 'flukes' keep happening when the two team play. Last but not least, you indicate Utah only had one quality win last year. That means BYU had ZERO quality wins by your standards.

A 4-5 conference record pretty much defines "mediocre". I would think tuah "fans" would agree because if not, and that is an acceptable season for them, then they are in for a lot of "acceptable" seasons.

From an outside persepective (Or a BYU fan/Utah hater perspective), sure 8-5 looks like a pretty mediocre season. Considering the fact that there was virtually no passing game, a patched-together offensive line, and little to no depth anywhere else except for the d-line, 8-5 (4-5 in the conference)is actually pretty good.

Oh, and btw to all of those claiming that 54-10 was a "fluke". No, that was a beatdown. Losing 17-14 to colorado with three missed field goals was more of a fluke. Or how about that 14-13 "fluke" win over ole miss BYU fans? You claim that winning by way of turnovers is considered a fluke, but weren't turnovers half of your scores in that game?

@ Duckhunter | 9:56 a.m. Feb. 13, 2012
Highland, UT

Whereas playing the 101st worst schedule in the nation, losing 54-10 on your home field (and quitting in the 3rd quarter), is acceptable for Cougar "fans".

LOL.

Rock, you usually write pretty funny, semi-witty articles, but I think this may be the one of your better efforts. I mean, you can't really be serious by implying that Whit's crony hires have been successful. I'll grant that he can coach Defense, the U defense has saved them the past few years, but other than that....This past year their season was salvaged by Chow running the offense and it is quite a stretch to say that Chow is "one of Whit's guys". Without Chow as the OC, this team would have collapsed quicker than Wynn's fragile shoulder.

Can't wait to hear all of the excuses next year..."It was Johnson's first year as OC." "He just needs to get some experience." "He just needs a year or two to get settled" Whatever...enjoy the middle of the over-rated Pac because that is where the mighty Whit has taken you.
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