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Utah Utes bear Whittingham's stamp
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Don't Miss Urban, except... | 1:40 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
I know for a fact that if Urban was still coaching Utah and had just gone
undefeated after spanking Alabama, he'd by lobbying like crazy for a split
vote on the NC.
I love Kyle to death, but that just ain't the way he rolls.
I love Kyle to death, but that just ain't the way he rolls.
Dr C | 2:59 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Whittingham has earned every bit of praise that he has received. The Utes had
their best season ever this year -- even better than the seasons when Urban
Meyer was their coach.
Whittingham has built upon the foundation laid by others and is a superb motivator. It is a tribute to him, to all of the Utah coaches, and to the team that they have performed so well this year.
Although I have been a Cougar fan for more than 40 years, I have always cheered for the Utes' success. It was a thrill to watch the Sugar Bowl and to see Utah defeat Alabama.
Kudos all around!
Whittingham has built upon the foundation laid by others and is a superb motivator. It is a tribute to him, to all of the Utah coaches, and to the team that they have performed so well this year.
Although I have been a Cougar fan for more than 40 years, I have always cheered for the Utes' success. It was a thrill to watch the Sugar Bowl and to see Utah defeat Alabama.
Kudos all around!
Comments continue below
bookt | 5:33 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
coach whittingham's preparation and performance throughout the season was
excellent. usually this is the point at which the so-called "bcs"
programs come knocking flaunting millions of dollars trying to lure a great
coach out of the smaller conferences. i bet michigan would pay ten million for
whittingham now that they have seen his up-tempo style. they passed out no-doze
to their fans this year.
Great coach | 6:40 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Congrats coach Whit! Thanks for the best Utah season ever!
Bob2 | 7:12 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Congrats Coach Whit. You have done a slow burn toward excellence ever since you
took over and now you have the players and coaches confidence and the eyes of
good recruits all over the country--on you and on the hill. You deserve it. I
promise to never try to tell you how to coach. Something that is very hard for
many Ute fans to do.
Darrell | 8:20 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Nobody deserves the success more, and there is nobody we would rather have
leading the Utes. He has proven his coaching ability now for over 15 years at
Utah. His teams have rarely been outcoached.
Go Utes!
Go Utes!
Ute for Life | 8:27 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Congrats Whit! I love your toughness and the toughness you have given the
team!
Print the "National Champs" shirts. I want to buy one.
Print the "National Champs" shirts. I want to buy one.
Rocklin, CA. | 8:40 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
I am not a Utah fan, but I would say this; the Utah football team probably had
Coach Whittingham's stamp on it to a greater degree than it ever had Urban
Meyer's. Urban Meyer had no stake in Utah football except as a stepping
stone to another, more prestigous job like Florida. He did not have time to
ride a wave of complaint and backlash against the BCS to get a shot at a
national title. Coach Whittingham has the experience of the 1984 BYU national
championship to understand what has to be done at schools like Utah, BYU or even
TCU to get and retain respect on a national scale. Also, Urban Meyer never had
any repsect for all that BYU has done for football in the WAC/MWC. Without
BYU's extended record of success under Lavell Edwards, would Utah, BYU,
Boise State, TCU, et al, be getting any respect now? Maybe, but not to the
current degree.
BamaTaz | 9:29 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Urban understood that you have to be in the BCS to get their national title,
that and a ton of cash is why he bolted for Florida and the SEC.
This win. | 10:25 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Legitimizes 2004 and makes Utah a powerhouse.
Period.
What other programs can lay claim to 2 BCS victories in 5 years?
Only the Powerhouse's of College Football.
Welcome to the club Utah!
GO Gators!
-Martin
Gainseville FL
Period.
What other programs can lay claim to 2 BCS victories in 5 years?
Only the Powerhouse's of College Football.
Welcome to the club Utah!
GO Gators!
-Martin
Gainseville FL
Colo Cougar | 10:29 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
First, let me say I detest the U of U (I'm a 30 yr BYU fan obviously).
HOWEVER, I heartily congratulate both the Utes, and especially Coach
Whittingham, on their success this year. They beat the Cougars (along with
every other team) fair and square and deserve the respect they've
earned.
One thing I've learned from analyzing both pro and college football for so many years is that in order to win, a coach must be able to instill in his players a "take-no-prisoners killer instinct." So, when BYU Coach Mendenhall, in his list of player priorities puts winning football games #5 in his list, then there is something wrong with the coach's priorities. I doubt Coach Whittingham has winning football games as #5 in his list.
Many people also theororize BYU's lack of "killer instinct" is due to the large number of returned LDS missionaries on their team. Again, Coach Whittingham and his team--comprised of numerous returned LDS missionaries--disproves this theory.
All I can say, if Coach Whittingham stays on at Utah, then BYU better relegate themselves to being 2nd or 3rd each year. That, or Coach Mendenhall's staff better re-prioritize their list pretty darn quick!
One thing I've learned from analyzing both pro and college football for so many years is that in order to win, a coach must be able to instill in his players a "take-no-prisoners killer instinct." So, when BYU Coach Mendenhall, in his list of player priorities puts winning football games #5 in his list, then there is something wrong with the coach's priorities. I doubt Coach Whittingham has winning football games as #5 in his list.
Many people also theororize BYU's lack of "killer instinct" is due to the large number of returned LDS missionaries on their team. Again, Coach Whittingham and his team--comprised of numerous returned LDS missionaries--disproves this theory.
All I can say, if Coach Whittingham stays on at Utah, then BYU better relegate themselves to being 2nd or 3rd each year. That, or Coach Mendenhall's staff better re-prioritize their list pretty darn quick!
Man-up Mr. Rock | 10:39 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Nice articles. However, you should have added that it probably did not even
bother Whit when YOU, Mr. Rock, predicted to the New Orleans press that Alabama
would win the game 31-14. Way to get it completely backwards!! Props should go
out to Sorensen and Facer, the ONLY reporters covering the Sugar Bowl that
predicted a Utah win!
Utah Man | 11:00 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Finally, the rest of the world is figuring out what I have known all along.
Coach Whit is THE BEST COACH in the entire USA! No way that Urban Meyer or Pete
Carrol are close to as good as he is. They may have better athletes, for now
(but not for long), but he is still THE #1 Coach! And everyone now knows it.
Now that the world knows how great Utah is, next year we will win the National Championship for sure. We will be ranked #1 going into the season and NO ONE will take it from us!!!
Sorry Lavell, in the future, Coach Whit will be the coach that all others are compared to!!!
Go Utes!!!
Now that the world knows how great Utah is, next year we will win the National Championship for sure. We will be ranked #1 going into the season and NO ONE will take it from us!!!
Sorry Lavell, in the future, Coach Whit will be the coach that all others are compared to!!!
Go Utes!!!
Re: utah man | 11:21 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
wow!!!!!!!! it was a great season, and he is a great coach, but think before you
say stuff. we will NOT be ranked number one! And we will NOT even make it to a
BCS bowl next year, i wish we would, but it is highly unlikely. come back to
earth my man!
to: Rocklin, CA | 11:50 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Teams get respect because they play good schedules and win. not because some
team in there conference won a title 24 years ago. If we use your line of
thinking then every football game ever play paves the road for everyother
football game that is yet to be played. It's also whinning. It would be
like a Utah fan complaining that Utah doesn't get credit every time someone
throw a shuffle pass (utah pass)
get over it an move on.
If fact ... Yes BYU is the reason why Utah is where it is today and not the National Champion.
BYUs 1984 season is what caused people and confereces to get together and form the BCS. BYU had a great team... but was it the best in country? (to quote you "maybe, but" ... )
The the mess that is the BCS a direct result of BYUs 1984 team. Thanks a lot!
take credit for your team when your team does well. don't take credit for your team when other teams do well. They had little if nothing to do with it.
get over it an move on.
If fact ... Yes BYU is the reason why Utah is where it is today and not the National Champion.
BYUs 1984 season is what caused people and confereces to get together and form the BCS. BYU had a great team... but was it the best in country? (to quote you "maybe, but" ... )
The the mess that is the BCS a direct result of BYUs 1984 team. Thanks a lot!
take credit for your team when your team does well. don't take credit for your team when other teams do well. They had little if nothing to do with it.
Future Utes | 12:18 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009
The good thing about all the injuries Utah had from 2 years ago was hard to deal
with. However it taught the team how to overcome adversity. It taught the UTES
what it takes to consistanly win. Also I remember the team had some meetings and
the players were thinking the coaches were to hard on them. With this
year's success, Coach Witt won't have to sale his philosophy anymore.
He can sit back and coach and the results will take care of themselves. Before
to Long they will be etching Wittingham Field on the building he helped sustain
and expand. GO UTES......
is Kyle worth 1.2 mil? | 12:42 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009
I am interested to see how Yewt fans react when Whitingham falls back to earth
and loses a few games next year. I admit that the 2009 schedule for the Yewts is
pretty soft but I could see them droping a couple of games still. Before this
season there was a lot of win or else chants going around and all of that seems
to be a distant memory right now. To be honest, Whitingham is a good coach - but
not a great coach. I just wonder how that 1.2 mil salary will set with the fans
and media after a couple of losses - especially to MWC teams?
Number 1 | 12:48 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Utah will easily be number 1 next year after they dominate the entire mountain
west and beat USC in the BCS title game next year!!!
re:Utah Man | 12:54 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009
your pretty funny dude. Kyle the best in the US? I think you've been
sipp'en too much of that post-sugar bowl brew. How many conference
championship did Lavell win?? Pete Carrol has won two national championships and
his UCS teams have won the PAC 10 how many times? Kyle's record before this
season was 7-5, 8-4, and 9-3 and where talking about the Mountain West not the
Pac 10 or the South East conference. The most laughable thing about your
comments is just two years ago Ute fans and media were ALL calling for Kyle to
be FIRED and now suddenly he is the best thing as sliced bread. The truth is ,
Kyle is a good coach but there are at least 20 coaches better in college
football today. I am interested to hear your comments next season after your
OOOTES lose a couple of conference games.
everyone | 1:22 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Coach Witt, deserves all that comes his way. We had a great team and thumped
alabama. If you want to complain about something, how about byu and there lack
of practice for there bowl game and games during the season. Go utes!
Cynic | 1:21 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Coach Whit's greatness comes from all he learned while playing linebacker
at BYU. (He passed that knowledge on to Urban)
Just Asking | 1:54 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Why did Coach Wit have to call Urban to find how to beat Alabama? I'm not a
BAMA fan, but it was strange that he was going to call him and get his
"advice" as to beating Alabama. Does that define a "GREAT"
coach? Would Bob Stoops can Saban and ask him how to play Florida, I don't
think Stoops would do that or that Saban would help him. It was strange that
Whit "bragged" about getting Urban's help.
Ask, and ye shall receive | 4:26 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009
True success comes from learning from others and taking advice from friends.
Pride has no place with learning, advancement, or success. Ask and you will
receive, seek and ye shall find. I don't argue with the author of that
phrase. There was no bragging going on with Wit and Urban...just getting
knowledge, which by the way, always pays off.
I am a Utah Fan, sir... | 4:28 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009
"Why did Coach Wit have to call Urban to find how to beat Alabama? I'm
not a BAMA fan, but it was strange that he was going to call him and get his
"advice" as to beating Alabama. Does that define a "GREAT"
coach?"
He got his help and advise. They are friends. A GREAT coach does whatever it takes to find a way for his team to win. Coach Whit did this...and then got his team ready, which is more than I can say about the Coach of the year, Saban.
He got his help and advise. They are friends. A GREAT coach does whatever it takes to find a way for his team to win. Coach Whit did this...and then got his team ready, which is more than I can say about the Coach of the year, Saban.
Life's Priorities! | 10:37 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009
Hey Colo Cougar -
It's easy to see how Coach Mendenhall could place football 5th... try some of these for 1-4:
1) Heavenly Father
2) Family
3) Gospel duties
4) School
5) Football
So tell me, is this so bad? I don't think it will get in the way of football. I think it will enhance it!!!
It's easy to see how Coach Mendenhall could place football 5th... try some of these for 1-4:
1) Heavenly Father
2) Family
3) Gospel duties
4) School
5) Football
So tell me, is this so bad? I don't think it will get in the way of football. I think it will enhance it!!!
not joining the band wagon | 4:34 p.m. Jan. 9, 2009
It will take some time yet before i jump on the whitt band wagon, trying to
forget an on-side kick when already beating a team pretty bad. He will have to
show MANY examples of class and gentlemans sportsmanship to erase that
bone-headed call.
Lets not judge him by one good year, we must put them all in perspective, and a few classless actions from last season and other forgettable moments show he has much still to prove as a person and a coach in the fish bowl of college coaching.
Lets not judge him by one good year, we must put them all in perspective, and a few classless actions from last season and other forgettable moments show he has much still to prove as a person and a coach in the fish bowl of college coaching.
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Utah's Sugar Bowl-winning team consisted almost exclusively of players who were recruited by coach Kyle Whittingham, center.
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There were many naysayers, as recent as last season. But I can't wait to see how Coach Whittingham continues to cement his legacy as THE class of coaches in the MWC whom all of the other coaches are chasing.
Congrats, Coach Whit. You deserve all of this!