Will Utah coach Kyle Whittingham stay or say goodbye? -Deseret News

ORLANDO – As some Utah fans inside FBC Mortgage Stadium chanted “Whittingham, Whittingham,” Ute head coach Kyle Whittingham walked off the field after his team’s 28-14 victory over UCF – the 167th of his career.

Will Friday night’s win be his last?

After completing his team’s 5-7 season – just the third losing season in the 20-year Whittingham era – the longtime Utah coach was asked how he would approach his upcoming decision.

Will he retire or return to lead Utah in his 21st season?

In the aftermath of Utah’s first win since September, Whittingham declined to comment.

“I don’t want to talk about that. This has nothing to do with me. I don’t even want to mention that. Let these guys enjoy this victory. “Tonight is all about our players and we’re just proud of them and I’d rather leave it at that for tonight,” Whittingham said after the game.

In the coming week or weeks, Whittingham will evaluate everything and make a decision about his future, but on Friday night he just wanted to celebrate his players as they ended a seven-game losing streak.

Earlier this week, Whittingham explained one of the most important decisions facing the program.

“My decision will be based on what is best for the program, not what is best for me,” Whittingham said. “So it will entirely depend on how I think this program can best be used in the future.”

After one of the most disappointing seasons in school history, Utah is currently at a crossroads – particularly on the offensive side. As such, the upcoming offseason is one of the most intriguing in recent memory, starting with the hiring of a new offensive coordinator.

The process to hire the school’s new offensive head is already underway and involves both Whittingham and incoming head coach Morgan Scalley.

Utah hopes to complete the recruitment by Dec. 9, when the transfer portal opens.

“Very committed. Very committed. Yes, he’s very involved and it would be unfair if he wasn’t, and that’s why he’s working side by side with me given our situation,” Whittingham said of Scalley’s input in the hiring process.

Thanks to the transfer portal, the rebuilding of college football can be accelerated. Look at Arizona State, which brought in 30 transfers this season and went from 3-9 to 9-2 with a chance to win the Big 12 Conference.

Utah’s defense is among the top 30 in the country, and if the Utes retain key players on both sides of the ball, sign some impact players (including possibly a starting quarterback) and hire an offensive coordinator, they could be right at the forefront of the Big 12 race next year.

Does Whittingham want to try to turn things around in one season and then hand the program over to Scalley?

On the other hand, this year could serve as a natural breaking point. After 20 seasons under Whittingham’s watch, Scalley was able to rebuild the program in his own way and lead the program into a new era.

The decision is Whittingham’s and he will do what he believes will benefit the program.

Regardless of whether Whittingham retires or returns for the 2025 season, one thing is certain – Friday was the last time he coached this senior class.

Luke Bottari, the fifth-string quarterback who was expected to end Utah’s regular season the past two years due to injury, called Utah’s coach a “legend.”

“(He) has been doing this for a long time. In a way, he has always done more with less. He is a legend. That’s all I have,” Bottari said. “Personally. I love him. He gave me the opportunity to be in this program and come back, so I just thank him for that opportunity. Yes, he’s a legend.”

Running back Micah Bernard, who finished his career this season with a record 1,000 rushing yards, agreed.

“Coach Whitt means a lot to me. Just like (Bottari) said, he’s a legend and he knows a lot about football, he knows a lot about life, he knows a lot about everything,” Bernard said.

“Just having him, just being by his side, just being a part of his journey, whether it ends or not, it just feels good to know that we ended it with a W.”