Coaching bowl games well is an art and skill unto itself

[SeattleUte]

Some otherwise good coaches can't coach a lick in bowl games. See Lavelle Edwards and Bo Schembeckler. Maybe it's extra hard to keep your team motivated and focused with all the distractions including a tendency to see the bowl game as more reward than contest. It's not unusual to see teams play their worst game of the year in the bowl game. Sometimes you see this in the Super Bowl. In college bowls the favored team may be disappointed in the venue and opponent. Clearly one of Whittingham's strenths is as a motivator, and I've always admired him for his teams rising to the occasion in their bowl games. It's just one reason I'm convinced that he's a stud and BM is a wuss (I think Waters and I are in agreement on the latter point).