Next: Holiday Bowl vs Northwestern
– Mon 12/31 4pm – FS1
its a great day to be a Ute
Amen. At least not yet that we know of.
#NextCoachUp
USC slumming it up in the recruiting.
Not a good look for the spoiled children.
Whitt said he would if his schedule permits.
No(at least very doubtful), he will need to get his new team caught up and ready recruiting wise. He will also need to sure up his coaching staff. Way too much for him to do in his new job and we will want to move on if we aren’t getting 100% of out him.
Personally I would rather he not. Lets see what the team can do under different OC, even if temporary. If there is truly disfunction and Troy has other priorities now – like getting his staff – it is better let him go off and do that.
First reaction: This sucks for continuity, but that’s about it.
Other than 3 or 4 games this year, Taylor’s offense overall was worse in just about every statistical category than A-Rod and Harding’s offense.
Taylor’s iPhone offense never really materialized in the way we were promised. It turned out to be more of a flip phone which defensive coordinators had little problem figuring out.
His offense was designed to get the ball to playmakers in space, in a variety of ways, to allow them to make plays. That almost never happened. Our WRs were almost always getting hit within a step or two of the ball arriving. Our running game was mostly power running between the tackles. The only time our RBs got into space, it seemed, was if they broke a tackle.
I won’t miss Taylor or his offense. I just hope Whittingham can FINALLY find someone who can give Utah an offense worthy of the defense.
My trust in your hope as articulared in the last sentense of your post is about nil. I really hate to say that. I want it to be true. Desperately. But I have virtually no hope that KW finally finds someone who can give Utah an offense worthy of its defense. Just don’t. KW will hire someone he knows who has not proven he can do what you hope for, not in a P5 program. If that makes me a dick, I’m a big stiff dick.
That just makes you realistic. If I were betting on it, I would bet against Whittingham finding a good OC.
It will be Harding. I hope he announces it tomorrow.
Why in the world would anyone want Harding to be our OC?
He interviewed with the Bengals who started out 5-0. Hahah. It will happen just watch.
I’m already bracing for the announcement.
Based on years of demonstrable experience; he will not hire someone who has proven they are great if he does not know them first. He will hire someone he knows and can trust, even if that trust is unwarranted.
I worked for a Fortune 500 company in management. I had bosses just like KW in that regard. They simply refused to hire someone they did not know. If fact, I have been retired for 13 years from one company. My boss then, now a CEO for a major firm, called me this spring asking me to do for him what I did 16 years ago in a business reorg. I gave him names of very, very highly qualified folks who were current in the latest and greatest. He only wanted me and used every trick in the book to get me to do this for him. Eventually, he hired someone he knew who he told me he would never work with again for a host of reasons. That person ended up leaning on me for what to do, and I helped him considerably.
Kyle Whittingham is that same kind of boss. With no regard to who actually said it, “insanity is doing the same thing over and over gain and expecting a different result.” Some folks simply can’t help themselves. Despite KW’s unhappiness with the offense, I expect him to do the same thing again and for us to be talking about it like this in two years.
KW, please prove me to be a big stiff dick. Please.
I feel like TT was someone he didn’t know. I think the connection came from Fred Whittingham still or something along those lines. So I agree with your point but I think he tried at least.
Huh? He’s won 44 games the last 5 seasons, good enough for second or third in the PAC-12. What he is doing is working.
The usual according to the perennially disappointed fans, lost more than 1 game and not qualified for the CFP for 125 years running.
Taco Bell turnover < Utah OC turnover. 🙂
Lipstick the entire pig….this is not a good trait of a KW run program. Recuiting killer and a sign the dude just cannot provide a good working environment for his offensive coaches. May as well clean house and get rid of Holliday, the most worthless coach on the staff.
I feel for the Ute players on the offensive side of the ball. I also get why top offensive players take a hard pass on Utah
So we lose 3 coaches and now no one is going to coach the bowl game?
Or 3 of his coaches just got poached and advanced their careers. Not sure how that shows as a negative when our coaches are getting promotions at other schools.
Sacramento St was NOT a promotion. I get he’s the HC but he took (most likely) a pay cut. He’s at a program that has no shot at all. Bookmark this – you will never hear aboutnTroy Taylor again.
They mentioned Jake Browning again in the press release. Browning was an ok qb on a defensive team. Yeah I know broke all these records. Most P12 QBs don’t play as many years as he did either.
The whole trained Browning thing really lost its shine to me the past two seasons.
I get that it is a step down based on money and football division. He still gets to be the head of a program and gets to move home.
It is a promotion for the rest of the coaches on Utah’s staff since they won’t have to deal with him any more.
God bless you Majerus. I miss you.
Larry benched Tillman and Barefield tonight. I love it. Their play and leadership have been poor all season.
I just saw them in just now. I guess I don’t know usual starters.
So I will admit don’t know a whole lot about the team.
I like the full court press, considering some of the defense make them work. Weird loose balls lead to a lot of easy baskets for FAMU. JJ has been throwing his body around.
Things I don’t like? The offensive sets look slow and loads of lazy lazy passes.
Go Utes.
It feels weird. Plus the new announcer sucks.
Michael Jordan take off line?
Terrible. I see Walton down there. At least we don’t have to listen to him.
He is so high. PVD! 5/6 smooth shooting.
really turned the corner (which im skeptical of but believe is maybe partially true). Regardless, it is extremely frustrating to spend the better part of 8 seasons in offense hell with revolving OCs just to have one leave as soon as it looked like we found one we actually want to keep
Now that we look at TT’s recruiting one wonders what he did if anything at all. I think we saw improvement in the QBs for once. I still am not even close to happy with the wideouts. Way too many drops for me to happy with Holliday anymore.
I agree that the QB play was better.
Holliday is a tough nut…I’m torn on him. Drops were awful…BUT our WR recruiting has never been better. The level our SO/FR WR’s are on…is a level we’ve never had before. Enis, Thompson, Covey, Perriman, Boyd, Dixon, Nacua. That is an amazing group and they didn’t have the dropsies like the upperclassmen had.
I’d say it way to early to make any sort of determination on Holliday. That being said, I expect a BIG improvement from the WR’s in the bowl game because I expect the young guys to play a TON more. Wouldn’t even surprise me if Enis starts and Mariner transfers.
Guy Halliday is the best hire Whitt has made since he convinced Sharieff Shah to give up his career as an attorney.
We have seen improvement there. If you were to name the weakest position group for the season it would be the Wideouts again. Every year for years on end they have been the most mistake prone group on the team. I like the talent but the on field results have been hard to stomach.
Ideal: Urban (duh!). How I wish he could be our next Dennis Erickson. How about Matt Canada? Not happening.
Realistic: Is a G5 OC (Memphis, Houston, etc.) a realistic option? How about Ohio (not tOSU) or Appalachian State? Admittedly, I don’t know much about these OCs or what kind of offense they run, but they all have a Top-20 scoring offense. Bottomline, a proven outside hire from lower ranks *should* be realistic, but will it happen? Harlan, show us your magic!
Actual: Harding. I have mixed feelings about this one.
Frankly, I do not want Harlan involved with this. IMO, an athletic director should hire/fire head coaches, the coaches should then have reign to hire/fire their staff. To do otherwise undermines the head coach.
Also, I am fine with looking at outside-the-box hires, but if (and this is a big IF) it is true that Harding was the one calling the plays for the great stretch of offense this year, then I want to stick with that. I do not want the players/team starting another new system, particularly when there was a stretch this year when a successful system finally seemed to develop.
I guess I totally disagree. I want Harlan to help Whitt out as much as possible. Maybe even just introduce them once he’s hired.
Mike McCoy ————-
If troy was after Drew to be a qb for him 2 weeks ago glad he left!!!!!!!!!
I feel like it will be Harding or he will leave if he isn’t given the assignment.
Ideally Urban sounds wonderful but I don’t even know if it would work. Urban is a leader type A personality. Don’t know if it meshes well with Whitt at his current status. I would love that Oline coach for Stanford that I posted about earlier. I want what Stanford has I think you can compete with that model. Not have a GREAT qb. Clearly have an eye for line and RB talent. Get huge WR that just play basketball downfield.
I dunno. Stanford sounds nice…but win wise, we are almost at the same level as they are since 2014. And their recruiting is MILES ahead of where ours is.
Since 2014, we’ve won 44 games, they’ve won 47. And they have played in one extra game that we haven’t.
I’m not sure they are the secret to success. And I don’t think we can recruit the OL to run their offense. Or the high level WR that is needed. Or the high level TE.
I would take three extra wins. Utah can replicate Stanford. Utah already has the big fairly athletic Oline down.
Ideal: Mike McCoy or Brian Johnson
Realistic: I agree a successful G5 OC should be realistic and I wouldn’t mind bringing in someone like that if Whitt believes they will be successful here.
Actual: Harding. I would be surprised if it actually ends up being someone else.
Ideal: McCoy
Realistic: Yost
Actual: Harding
I think Harding would be a good one — love the way he works the players from the bench — qb coach?
Ideal: Me
Realistic: Tony
Likely: Pace Manyung
Dreaming: Alex Smith. Who says no?
Realistic: Some FCS/high school/G5 nobody
Likely: Harding, I guess.
Alex Smith is under contract right now.
I’m all in for Yost
As a player? He can retire tomorrow. Doubt there’s any COI between being an NFL player, and then a CFB coach.
ETA: Just thinking about it. He’s got quite a lot of recovery to do, after that gruesome infection. 🙁
I’m guessing if he retires he loses the remaining contract
$71M Guaranteed.
Guaranteed just means that he still gets paid if he gets injured. It doesn’t mean he can just stop showing up to work whenever he wants and still take a check. I’m assuming he’s going to rehab and see where he’s at. If he can’t go a year from now, they might make him a deal but it’s not at the point yet. He’s not going to be the offensive coordinator for this opening. I guarantee it.
Honestly, if I’m Alex Smith and I’m recuperating from an alleged near-amputation of my leg due to the freaking bone sticking out of the skin, then I’m taking my guaranteed $71 million and retiring. No more having to put my health on the line for the money because it’s already there. Take a nice coaching job and enjoy life.
I know that’s not usually how athletes are wired, but hopefully it’s a wakeup call for him.
Alex Smith is very well respected and could be an NFL coach. I am serious.
I know that Harding and ARod were “Co-OCs” in 2016. Not sure who was calling most of the plays, in pretty sure it was ARod just because of the amount of hate he got, but if it was harding, I sure as hell dont want him.
My ideal get would be me, because let’s be honest, I can’t be much worse than what we’ve had in the past. Then I can find out the secret identity of onlyU and lord it over yall.
KNEEEEL!!!
How did you know that would replace the old “take a knee” statement?
Then I’d sit down after getting the job in the OC’s office and say, “Everything comes to he who waits. And I have waited…so very long for thisssss moooment.”
After drubbing UW by like 40 points I’d say to the opposing DC, “Where is your strength? Where has it gone?”
I like this plan more and more.
Ultimate crossover idea, after we win the Pac-12, grab the trophy from Whitt and yell “I HAVE THE POWER!!!”
It is decided. OnlyU, put my name in the ring for OC!
I think there will be some good that comes of the TT move and some bad.
The Good: Haven’t been overly impressed with TT’s recruiting. He didn’t seem to learn from his mistakes and reverted to being too pass happy sometimes. TT definitely had to learn alot in his two years. Made a lot of rookie mistakes. Hopefully the next hire isn’t so green and we won’t have to deal with getting over that hump again.
The Bad: TT seemed to develop his QB’s better than anything we’ve had in a long time. That will suck to replace. Continuity with the scheme – unless we hire someone who keeps the scheme and plays the same all the players will have to adjust to a new playbook next year. Would much rather players be able to focus on other things other than learning plays and new schemes.
Some good. Some bad. Who Whitt chooses to replace TT will entirely determine how well we take advantage of the good and how much we are able to successfully navigate the bad.
I’ll keep my opinion neutral until we have more info. Go Utes!
It will be hard to judge this coordinator next year. I mean Senior QB and potentially a Senior RB. I mean in a positive light. I guess I view it that way negatives don’t make me enthused at all. A few holes in the Oline nothwithstanding it wouldn’t suck to be hired in right now.
I agree. It’s a great job to take over. Just run the ball 40 times and dial up a timely PA or two. Next year should be very easy for the OC.
yup, piece of cake…
His recruiting was…terrible? When he was hired, we had signed or committed:
Williams/Huntley/Shelley/Tuttle.
He hasn’t signed anyone and he lost Tuttle. Yikes.
Yeah I’m not sure if he signed anyone or not to be honest. But I know he bungled the Tuttle mess and he didn’t lock in JD (or he gave up when he heard rumors of the Sac State job). Does anyone know what his recruiting responsibilities were?
No one seems to know what Taylor did recruiting wise. He had no area. He was just supposed to overall recruit the offense. Who knows what he did.
Obviously nothing tangible other than negative. Did he bring in Fotheringham or Kuithe?
Kuithe is a Scalley recruit.
Fotheringham is ARod and Powell.
I like Fotheringham. I like it when they use the tight ends.
