Why did Kyle Whittingham take the Utah job?

[Goatnapper'96]

I can think of many reasons why, but even he understood that the expectations at BYU would be far easier to meet.

Don't get me wrong, I actually believe Bronco is just not a better fit for BYU blah, blah, blah - I think the man will prove to just flat out be a better head coach. I wanted Kyle. I though that by all compelling metrics of comparison he was far more prepared and proven to be given a HC position. However, I think Bronco has done more with what he inherited than Kyle did. I really believed that BYU being tardy to Utah game last year did nothing more than suspend the inevitable for Utah and Kyle W's tenure as a HC. I think Kyle will be solid, but that will not be acceptable to Ute nation. Once a fanbase drinks from the sweet nectar of the pinnacle of success, nothing else will do.

BYU has been drinking from hind titty so long that just not tasting goat piss would do. I don't think Bronco will get a pass with 7-5esque seasons forever, but he will for at least 5-6 years. I think Kyle is out after 4 at Utah if he does not win a MWC, especially if BYU wins one in that frame.

It was a dumb career move, IMO.

Then again maybee Kyle will turn the ship around this year and prove himself a great coach by winning 10 games.

[il Padrino Ute]

Whether or not this turns out to be a good decision for KW is still up for debate, but my belief is that he felt that based on the recent state of both programs, Utah was the job with which he'd have more of a chance to have success. Kind of difficult to disagree with that really. And I'm honest enough in my thoughts to know that when given the choice, money matters. Why take essentially the same job for less $$?

I'm hoping KW will have long term success, but he'll have to prove to the dickheads that have jumped on the Ute bandwagon that he can do the job. There are far too many front running ninnies who will scream and revolt if KW doesn't have the success Meyer did. Of course, those are the people I ignore and mock, so I'm going to have fun no matter waht happens.

I believe KW is trying too hard right now. He was terrific when he was the DC because he could put all his effort into doing just that, rather than having to run the entire operation. I think he'd have more success if he would do the Edwards style of management - let his coaches coach and step in when and where he believes it needs to happen, then immediately back off again. Right ow, he seems to want to make sure the athletes are all happy. Screw that. If they belong on the field, then they'd be on the field.

Oh well. Life goes on. If things get too bad I can always put more effort into my long-distance relationship with Marist. Go Red Foxes!

[Surfah]

More money at Utah, you don't have recruiting headaches because of the honor code, you're not playing the RM shuffle every year as much, you're riding a bit of prestige from a great season 2 years ago, Utah had a #1 overall pick and players with success in the NFL of late.

Who cares if the demands are greater at Utah. Coaches are hired to be fired. Every coach has to have that mentality. The LaVells and Paternos are a rare and dying breed.

What are the pros for coaching BYU?

Besides, even if he struggles at Utah and is fired 2-3 season from now, he'd still be the leading to candidate to take over at BYU.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

I can think of many reasons why, but even he understood that the expectations at BYU would be far easier to meet.

Don't get me wrong, I actually believe Bronco is just not a better fit for BYU blah, blah, blah - I think the man will prove to just flat out be a better head coach. I wanted Kyle. I though that by all compelling metrics of comparison he was far more prepared and proven to be given a HC position. However, I think Bronco has done more with what he inherited than Kyle did. I really believed that BYU being tardy to Utah game last year did nothing more than suspend the inevitable for Utah and Kyle W's tenure as a HC. I think Kyle will be solid, but that will not be acceptable to Ute nation. Once a fanbase drinks from the sweet nectar of the pinnacle of success, nothing else will do.

BYU has been drinking from hind titty so long that just not tasting goat piss would do. I don't think Bronco will get a pass with 7-5esque seasons forever, but he will for at least 5-6 years. I think Kyle is out after 4 at Utah if he does not win a MWC, especially if BYU wins one in that frame.

It was a dumb career move, IMO.

Then again maybee Kyle will turn the ship around this year and prove himself a great coach by winning 10 games.

Based on a little bit of inside info and a little bit of my own inference, this is what I think happened.

He wanted the BYU job and would have taken it for equal or slightly less $. But when the Utes upped the ante (oh my all the way up to $650 which _might_ make him one of the top 50 highest paid coaches in America :s), and he went back to BYU, he realized in that process

1. How disorganized and what a mess BYU athletics admin is
2. That the GA's/BYU admin were going to treat this like a calling rather than a football job--as in Kyle do it for God not for money.
3. It sunk in what a battle he was going to have with football vs church, i.e. recruiting and everything.

I think that was enough.

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by jay santos

Based on a little bit of inside info and a little bit of my own inference, this is what I think happened.

He wanted the BYU job and would have taken it for equal or slightly less $. But when the Utes upped the ante (oh my all the way up to $650 which _might_ make him one of the top 50 highest paid coaches in America :s), and he went back to BYU, he realized in that process

1. How disorganized and what a mess BYU athletics admin is
2. That the GA's/BYU admin were going to treat this like a calling rather than a football job--as in Kyle do it for God not for money.
3. It sunk in what a battle he was going to have with football vs church, i.e. recruiting and everything.

I think that was enough.

Interesting. I think BYU is improving in #1, but 2-3 are an eternal aspect of the "program" as presently constituted. It appears that Bronco deals with it decently, but time will tell.

The way the Russel T. issue played out has me believing Bronco has built up some clout or capital with the mullah side of the institutiton.

As for Kyle, the facts are supporting that he is a better technocrat than a CEO. He will be available in another couple of years. In fact I think Bronco is planning on it as he will need someone to run the 4-3 BYU will move to after 2007.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by jay santos

Based on a little bit of inside info and a little bit of my own inference, this is what I think happened.

He wanted the BYU job and would have taken it for equal or slightly less $. But when the Utes upped the ante (oh my all the way up to $650 which _might_ make him one of the top 50 highest paid coaches in America :s), and he went back to BYU, he realized in that process

1. How disorganized and what a mess BYU athletics admin is
2. That the GA's/BYU admin were going to treat this like a calling rather than a football job--as in Kyle do it for God not for money.
3. It sunk in what a battle he was going to have with football vs church, i.e. recruiting and everything.

I think that was enough.

Amen to that. My money is on this theory.

[ute4ever]

Originally Posted by jay santos

Based on a little bit of inside info and a little bit of my own inference, this is what I think happened.

He wanted the BYU job and would have taken it for equal or slightly less $. But when the Utes upped the ante (oh my all the way up to $650 which _might_ make him one of the top 50 highest paid coaches in America :s), and he went back to BYU, he realized in that process

1. How disorganized and what a mess BYU athletics admin is
2. That the GA's/BYU admin were going to treat this like a calling rather than a football job--as in Kyle do it for God not for money.
3. It sunk in what a battle he was going to have with football vs church, i.e. recruiting and everything.

I think that was enough.

I can tell you what Kyle said at an alumni dinner in Costa Mesa a month or two back:

He told us he wanted the Utah job all along, but because he had so many BYU fans in his extended family, and because they were persuading him to take the BYU job, he agreed to look into it as a means to appease them, but his heart was set on the U position from the get-go.

(and of course, consider the audience)

[All-American]

It's hard to believe that there wasn't at least a part of Kyle that felt he had put a lot of his life into the U and wanted to continue with it.

[Archaea]

It's hard to believe he wasn't torn between the two, chose the one he had worked most recently in light of significant economic advantages.

Perhaps he's not HC material; perhaps he is. I wanted him for BYU, but Bronco may prove himself yet.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

I can think of many reasons why, but even he understood that the expectations at BYU would be far easier to meet.

Don't get me wrong, I actually believe Bronco is just not a better fit for BYU blah, blah, blah - I think the man will prove to just flat out be a better head coach. I wanted Kyle. I though that by all compelling metrics of comparison he was far more prepared and proven to be given a HC position. However, I think Bronco has done more with what he inherited than Kyle did. I really believed that BYU being tardy to Utah game last year did nothing more than suspend the inevitable for Utah and Kyle W's tenure as a HC. I think Kyle will be solid, but that will not be acceptable to Ute nation. Once a fanbase drinks from the sweet nectar of the pinnacle of success, nothing else will do.

BYU has been drinking from hind titty so long that just not tasting goat piss would do. I don't think Bronco will get a pass with 7-5esque seasons forever, but he will for at least 5-6 years. I think Kyle is out after 4 at Utah if he does not win a MWC, especially if BYU wins one in that frame.

It was a dumb career move, IMO.

Then again maybee Kyle will turn the ship around this year and prove himself a great coach by winning 10 games.

BYU's recruiting obstacles make it impossible to excel there. And I disagree about expectations. BYU fans will always hold Edwards' success (despite the dismal bowl record) up as the benchmark. McBride had just seen a coach who once had a promising future go down in flames at BYU. Usually there is at most one chance to succeed as head caoch. Better to take the job that gives you the best chance to succeed. I'd hate to tell players, "You have to sign a statement, no kitty for four years."

All indications are McBride will be a successful coach. All this hand wringing and (BYU fans') dancing on his grave is more a reflection of fans' stupidity and lack of vision than any KW shortcoming.