What has happened is now past history. How do we move on?

[ProudUte]

There has been a lot of speculation in the last 24 hours as to what has happened over the last 9 months. The fact is – I doubt any of us really know the entire truth. I sure don’t.

The most important thing now is how will the coaching staff take control of the locker room before this becomes divisive to the team. Whitt needs to figure out how to be as competitive as possible without Rising, Kuithe, et al.

I hate to say it, but maybe we need to use this year to develop for a great 2024 season. Regardless, we need to let the past go for now. All of the speculation and rumors are just that. We need to prepare for Cal next Saturday and USC after that.

Go Utes!!!

[chinngiskhaan]

I’m perfectly happy to use this year to develop for next year. We weren’t going to win the CCG this year anyway. Going into last year’s Rose Bowl, we all assumed this year would be a rebuilding year.

What I would love to see is Whitt and Ludwig retire. I have NOTHING against either of them. Whitt has known me since before I can remember. He’s been a friend of my family since my parent’s dating days at TSPP. I am a Ute fan because of who he is. I don’t think he’s lost his edge or anything, I just think now is a good time for him to retire (by now, I mean the end of the season). I want to see what Scalley can do. I want to see who he can bring in to replace Ludwig at OC. Harding deserves a shot, but I would rather get someone who has been a successful OC for at least a couple of years. I would also love to see us actually hire a legit QB coach.

If the team does well enough for the rest of the season to not hurt our reputation, I’ll be happy.

[ProudUte]

I understand your feelings. But, I don’t want to see Whitt go out with this as his last season. I don’t think he wants to leave under these circumstances either.

[chinngiskhaan]

I’m not claiming to know what Whitt wants. You could be right. He is one competitive dude, I just think the end of the year is good timing.

[Utah]

You are nuts companero. The day Whitt retires is the day this program takes a HUGE step backwards. NOW, being in the Big 12 helps us because it isn’t as good of a conference. There is no USC, Oregon, UCLA, Washington, Stanford in the Big 12 so it will be easier to survive.

But we don’t Whitt to go. Not yet.

[chinngiskhaan]

How does hanging onto him longer help the program long term?

[DataUte]

At least 1 year continuity of OC into Big 12 would be really helpful, esp. if we are going with Rose or NJ next year. Changing OCs will set back the offense just as much as not having someone with the skills/talent. And we know if Whit goes, Ludwig will also retire. So too much disruption. Would rather have them on board for another year or two, then make a shift.

[2008 National Champ]

I can see both sides of it but couldn’t tell you which is better. Continuity is always a good thing until it isn’t and you usually don’t figure that out until a couple of years too late. Would Johnson, Rose, Barnes, Howard, Wilson benefit from a younger OC like Ben Arbuckle at WSU (previously Western Kentucky which was putting no-name QB’s into the league)? Or are they better off with Ludwig and hoping that huge strides can be made year over year?

I’m on record as stating that in my mind, Whitt has earned the right to stay in the job as long as he wants. But I won’t hide the fact that with each year, I start to wonder more and more what the future will look like. Changing conferences seems like the most opportune time to make the change if you are going to. I think the quote is “whatever must be done eventually should be done immediately”.

Perhaps the stars align and what’s left of this years fantastic defense is augmented by an improved offense in 2024. At the same time you are in a new league with different requirements for CFP entrance. 11-1 or better won’t be necessary for entry and at some point, maybe soon, there will be a change of leadership. The case can be made that 2024 with an undecided QB room as well as everything else surrounding the program’s move is as good a time as any to take whatever lumps you have to. For all we know, Scalley may be better equipped to handle the changing landscape than Whitt is at this point in their respective careers.

[The Miami Ute]

I respect your opinion and how you explain your thought process but I can’t get behind this being Whitt’s final season. First off, I believe that he still has enough gas in the tank for at least the end of his current extension. Second, while I do believe that bad luck and bad planning have the potential to derail this season, I’m nowhere near thinking that it’s enough to end Whitt’s career as the Utah HC. Third, Utah is a quirky place and it takes a special kind of somebody to adapt to its idiosyncrasies and be successful in the football field. Maybe Scalley could do that but it’s hard to see how he could do better than Whitt. For now, let’s focus on making Nate Johnson the best QB he can be and try to finish out a winning season.

[chinngiskhaan]

I’ll address your response point by point.

1. I agree that he has enough gas in the tank, that didn’t factor into my reasoning and I said as much.
2. I don’t think Whitt’s career could be derailed by anything short of a massive scandal, and that isn’t happening.
3. I absolutely think Scalley can handle the quirks of being the coach of the UofU, probably better than Whitt in that regard. The bigger challenge would be finding an OC that can adapt to those quirks.

I’m not sure what you are getting at with your conclusion. I don’t disagree, and in case you didn’t understand this from my post, I don’t want Whitt to retire now, and think he should do it at the end of the season, which wouldn’t effect results this year.

My questions for you: If now isn’t the right time, when is the right time? If this season wasn’t looking so dumpster-fire-ish would the end of this year be a more appropriate time to hang it up?

[The Miami Ute]

I think Whitt has done enough for Utah to be able to decide when is the right time for him to retire. His contract runs through the end of the 2027 season, he would be 68 by then, and I see no issue with him staying until that contract expires.

I also think that you’re projecting conclusions just a tiny wee bit. After all, even with all of the injury issues, the team is still 4-1 and ranked. We can assume but don’t really know what the future will bring. This team could do enough to finish 8-4 or 9-3 and ranked…would you still be wanting Whitt to leave the job then?

Lastly, I also think that Whitt leaving (or being pushed out) in such an abrupt manner would be traumatic in the short term and could do some damage to the program. Just based on what he’s accomplished at a mid-tier school and how well he’s thought of in the coaching profession would make Utah kind of persona non-grata in most of the nation. I can assure you that the media would have a field day with his departure if it wasn’t consensual.

[2008 National Champ]

Joe Paterno, pre-Sandusky scandal. Many thought that the game had passed him by. From 2000-2004, he had 1 winning season. In 2005 Paterno changed the way he did business and brought in new blood to reinvigorate his program and the next 5 years his record was 51-13 (10.1-2.6).

No matter how good Whitt is, the team has settled into its current equilibrium. Since 2013 he’s 75-32 (9.4-4). His staff has been on the job for a long time and he has been reluctant in the past to go outside of a pretty small rolodex. Business as usual is currently a very good, not great, thing. Why not go out on top before there is a chance that you have to start operating outside of your comfort zone to keep pace with a changing landscape?

[Charlie]

I have been paying attention to how often other schools in the conference, with more resources, much higher up the ladder of expectations of success, have completed national searches and brought in coaches at the top of disgruntled fan lists only to see them fall short of what Whitt is doing. I am very confident that Whitt’s time to go will be apparent to him before it is to fans and I am comfortable in my expectation that he will chose the correct moment.

[Central Coast Ute]

Personally, I want Whitt around until after the P2 separate from the NCAA. I think he gives us a better shot at an invite. I’m also looking forward to Scalley but we just don’t know how he’ll do as an HC. we know what we have with Whitt and that is a winner.

[Red Rhino]

I agree proud. If the team has learned what they need to learn from the mistake, than it’s time to look forward and not back. The only point in looking backwards is to learn from our mistakes, but if we look backwards beyond learning from our mistakes, than it is a hindrance to our future.

[Roy Rangum]

I have not moved on, and won’t move on until the USC game. If cam is back in time for USC, this season could still be really special.

[22Ute22]

Do we honestly think he’ll be good? He hasn’t been cleared by his surgeon yet. He completely shredded his knee, not just his ACL. I doubt he’s cleared for USC, and even if he is, I doubt he’d be a running threat.

[Roy Rangum]

Fair point that I also doubt he will have the same running threat, but I am still very optimistic he will be good. He understands the offense, makes good enough decisions, and throws a good enough ball, that I think his presence alone would be transformative for our team.

[The Miami Ute]

I’m trying to understand how you think this. Cam is in month 9 of a 12-18 month process.

[Jim Vanderhoof]

Perfect storm for Whitt. He rolled the dice on Cam and Brandt. Under estimated the backup RBs and QBs. Possibly the best Pac 12 top half of all time.

[chinngiskhaan]

I think you mean overestimated, not underestimated. Under would imply they are better than he thought.