Whether you’re a Ute fan or not, you’ve got to admire and appreciate their approach to the ever-changing challenges that define big-time college football. A lot to be learned here
People act like the old way of college sports is no longer relevant... Whittingham is a perfect example that caring about players over scoreboard is what really matters, and the idea is just as relevant today as it was in the past.
Our leadership simply needs to stop over reacting to immediate negative bombardment from social media opinions. It would also help if we, as a society,, stopped promoting the rabid fan.
As a life-long Oregon fan, Utah has been the opponent I have respected most for years now. Whittingham is my favorite coach in the country outside of Oregon. As a rule, I don't wager on college football, but my money would be on the Utes to dominate the Big 12. Glad to hear they are on a path to keep it rolling. Thanks for the info John!
John– On the flip side, name the program(s) you think have suffered the most from self-inflicted coaching turnover, donor meddling and lack of clear leadership. (I’ll kick things off: Texas A&M.)
For a long time, I saw inherent similarities in the Utah and Oregon State programs. Do more with less. Fly under the radar. Know who you are. Build behind good offensive lines and play old fashioned football. Recruit players that want to be there for the right reason, develop them, and send a surprising number to the NFL. Retain your assistants. Then Jonathon Smith did what Jonathon Smith did and the Pac-12 presidents showed their stupidity. Now Utah stands alone and there will be no OSU comparisons. Sad.
Interesting that Utah and Oregon State had the LEAST amount of turnover in the transfer portal in the initial two years. I asked Jonathan Smith about it. He said: "culture."
Could it be that when you recruit 4 and 5 stars, when they don't get to play they become disgruntled and are attractive transfer targets for other programs? Conversely, if your recruits were not highly rated they will not be coveted by other programs, hence they stay in place. Just a thought.
Interesting comment. Yet Coach Smith is wearing green these days. And I think it says money has been allowed to supplant culture - which is probably true on most campuses due to NIL, etc.. The Good Book notes that the LOVE of money is the root of all evil (note that MONEY is not the root, but rather greed). The greed you see in college football today has destroyed tradition and culture, and I think it can only lead to the destruction of college football itself. How long until that pride in school disappears because your school is not really a part of it any more. 200,000 fans don't tailgate before minor league football today - will they in the future when LSU (my local team that I root against) has nothing to do with the University and is a wholely owned arm of some insurance agency playing in the "College" Minor League NFL? Or when Oregon has nothing to do with the U of O and is owned by Nike?
I’m back but still angry and thoroughly disappointed in the indefensible arrogant greed of those who dismantled the 108 year “Conference of Champions.” Your post of Ashley Adamson’s farewell was meaningful to me. As a dad of one of those conference staffers who was terminated on June 30, I had hoped you might dig deeper into similar stories. Close to two hundred conference employees and their families, like Ashley, took pride in their work and didn’t deserve the unconscionable collapse that ensued. They now have to navigate a path that the college president decision-makers never considered.
I don’t see that leadership ever working at OS! OS has no vision, plays too much politics, and high expectations fan with an unwillingness to finance what it takes to win. While losing Rich Brooks, Bill Byrne, Dan Williams and Dave Frohnmeyer made financial commitments that at one point to save money and finish key projects forced Brooks to be AD and HC with very little pay increase! It almost cost the Stubborn ex-Beaver his job before the fruits of their labor paid off with a Pac10 championship. It seems like the old Oregonian led the “Ditch Rich” campaign! It’s good when good leadership can shutout outside unproductive noise! It’s too bad today’s columnist and sportswriter tune out the true depth of history! Maybe an interview with Bill Byrne, Brooks and if alive Dan Williams in the same room could tell you why Oregon succeeded in the late 80’s through the first cotton bowl without Nike and the Knights! I will tell you Bowerman’s influence since the 60’s has always been there with at least sports science
Oregon was 6-5 in 1987, 6-6 in 1988, 8-4 in 1989 and 1990 and then 3-8, 6-6 and 5-6 through 1993. That's "succeeding?"
Oregon did not become consistently successful until 1999 or 2000, when the impact of Knight's money started making an impact. It always amazes me how much some Duck fans downplay the results of Knight giving hundreds of millions and still try to say their football success happened organically.
Phil Knight donated the indoor facility and helped with marketing in the late 90’s.
By then Oregon had won the conference in 94, had another solid season in 95 and built the base for the 99, 2000 and 2001 teams.
His first huge donation, the stadium expansion, did not occur until after Mike Bellotti turned Oregon into a legitimate national power in 2000 and 2001.
UO had a couple of "bad" years (pretty good by OSU standards), winning 20 games between 2002-2004, even though they managed to knock off Michigan in that stretch.
UO then pretty much went back to being a pretty competitive football team, winning 10 games in 2005, not 5. Starting in 2005, after that unfortunate 3 year stretch, UO has exactly one down year over the next decade or so.
Oregon went 7-6 in 2002. It went 8-5 in 2003. It went 5-6 in 2004. Yes, it won 10 games in 2005, then reverted to form and went 7-6 in 2006, and 9-4 (5-4 Pac-12) in 2007.
That is not the record of a "legitimate national power." By no stretch of anyone's imagination.
It did not become a consistent player on the national scene until Knight began pumping millions into the program. Something most Oregon fans seem unwilling to admit.
"Oregon did not become consistently successful until 1999 or 2000, when the impact of Knight's money started making an impact."
Or multiple statements after that which contradict your own statement regarding Oregon's success commencing in 1999 or 2000?
Oregon has certainly enjoyed incredible success since Phil Knight started pumping millions into the program, but as you noted, UO was a success before then (a statement you made only because you f'd up the timing of his major donations).
So no, EA, Oregon fans are not wrong.
We got off to a pretty good start before his major donations, but I think we all realize the incredible impact of his generosity thereafter.
The 'self select' process could also help both the B1G and SEC 'weed out' programs of perennial lesser competition from within. I wonder which programs from the "Power 2" those could be...? Both the B1G and SEC will in fact consolidate further, but I'm very sure FOX and ESPN do not want bloated conferences.
I couldn’t agree more with your “self select” statement. The concept of “living within your means” also would seem applicable.
This is out there and only my opinion based on personal taste: there were a couple of comments suggesting Ken Coe be allowed to contribute track and field “guest” columns. Please don’t. Mr. Coe is a very knowledgeable and informed sports writer. However, his snarky, hang dog, and relentlessly anti - successful people smugness makes me want to revisit illiteracy.
I See an SEC/big 10 merger of 48 to 64 teams. I don’t see OS, WSU, Cal and CO being a part of that. Utah will have to invest more, Stanford will be in good position, and the Arizona schools have a shot as they have good bowl locations
I took my son to the UTE football camps when Coach Whit was in his first year as head coach. Met him then and he was a class act. Fast forward to 2022. met him again in his office. Same class guy. Same warm human. Same resonant demeanor.
A lot of well-deserved accolades for Whittingham here, but it was Urban Meyer who set the course for that program. He left Witt a formula for success and Utah wisely stayed in-house for a replacement. JMHO.
Slow down. It worked because something happen that no one could course foresee. Kyle Whittingham was a future HOF caliber coach. And he hired assistants who could develop average prospects into NFL products. More than anything, good fortune smiled on Salt Lake City. Don't be so sure it'll remain sunny when Whittingham retires. The landscape is littered with examples.
This has been ASU's problem for decades. Coming out of being a dominant force in the WAC, the boosters expected ASU to dominate the PAC. They se their school as USC or Ohio State. It's neither, athletically or academically. Instead of hiring a bright young coach and building a program like Utah has, they always wanted the "big name" coach who could deliver a winner in a few seasons. They also thought they could out recruit USC or UCLA in SoCal. Instead they ended up with athletes who couldn't make the grade at those schools. ASU has an opportunity to be a force. They now have a much larger population base than they did in 1978 (the population of Arizona is about the same as Washington) so they could develop local recruits instead of playing second fiddle in S Central LA. I hope they do this and educate the boosters that big time programs take a long time to develop and the key is to have a plan, get a young coach with great potential and build that base.
Many could learn from this, not just other school programs... if only! Most choose to sell their soul for the $$$. Most, but not all. There is still some good out there. Thanks for sharing it!
It’s not always the institutions being impatient. Arizona would have made a long term commitment to their last football coach if he wasn’t poached for more cash. It’s dog eat dog right now. Good for Utah
John, Utah is tesatament to patience usually being a winner. But hiring good people to have patience with is another matter. Utah's management team obviously has done a great job. I agree that they are to learn from. Good management plans always have an exit, or future, strategy. Perhaps as you said, 'heir in waiting' is not for everyone, but some sort of plan is better than reacting to donor fickleness or armchair management by disgruntled fans.
Whether you’re a Ute fan or not, you’ve got to admire and appreciate their approach to the ever-changing challenges that define big-time college football. A lot to be learned here
I wish Utah much success
GO DAWGS 😎
Steady... smart... it helps that Whittingham is the guy in the big seat, but it's worth a case study.
People act like the old way of college sports is no longer relevant... Whittingham is a perfect example that caring about players over scoreboard is what really matters, and the idea is just as relevant today as it was in the past.
Our leadership simply needs to stop over reacting to immediate negative bombardment from social media opinions. It would also help if we, as a society,, stopped promoting the rabid fan.
Steady growth... solid culture.
As a life-long Oregon fan, Utah has been the opponent I have respected most for years now. Whittingham is my favorite coach in the country outside of Oregon. As a rule, I don't wager on college football, but my money would be on the Utes to dominate the Big 12. Glad to hear they are on a path to keep it rolling. Thanks for the info John!
Just such an interesting study.
You have to admire an organization that dares to be different.
John– On the flip side, name the program(s) you think have suffered the most from self-inflicted coaching turnover, donor meddling and lack of clear leadership. (I’ll kick things off: Texas A&M.)
I think there are a number of outstanding examples...
Watched Texas A&M in the College World Series and couldn't get out of my mind that their logo was ATM.
For a long time, I saw inherent similarities in the Utah and Oregon State programs. Do more with less. Fly under the radar. Know who you are. Build behind good offensive lines and play old fashioned football. Recruit players that want to be there for the right reason, develop them, and send a surprising number to the NFL. Retain your assistants. Then Jonathon Smith did what Jonathon Smith did and the Pac-12 presidents showed their stupidity. Now Utah stands alone and there will be no OSU comparisons. Sad.
Interesting that Utah and Oregon State had the LEAST amount of turnover in the transfer portal in the initial two years. I asked Jonathan Smith about it. He said: "culture."
Could it be that when you recruit 4 and 5 stars, when they don't get to play they become disgruntled and are attractive transfer targets for other programs? Conversely, if your recruits were not highly rated they will not be coveted by other programs, hence they stay in place. Just a thought.
Interesting comment. Yet Coach Smith is wearing green these days. And I think it says money has been allowed to supplant culture - which is probably true on most campuses due to NIL, etc.. The Good Book notes that the LOVE of money is the root of all evil (note that MONEY is not the root, but rather greed). The greed you see in college football today has destroyed tradition and culture, and I think it can only lead to the destruction of college football itself. How long until that pride in school disappears because your school is not really a part of it any more. 200,000 fans don't tailgate before minor league football today - will they in the future when LSU (my local team that I root against) has nothing to do with the University and is a wholely owned arm of some insurance agency playing in the "College" Minor League NFL? Or when Oregon has nothing to do with the U of O and is owned by Nike?
John,
I’m back but still angry and thoroughly disappointed in the indefensible arrogant greed of those who dismantled the 108 year “Conference of Champions.” Your post of Ashley Adamson’s farewell was meaningful to me. As a dad of one of those conference staffers who was terminated on June 30, I had hoped you might dig deeper into similar stories. Close to two hundred conference employees and their families, like Ashley, took pride in their work and didn’t deserve the unconscionable collapse that ensued. They now have to navigate a path that the college president decision-makers never considered.
Thank you for weighing in on this. I'd love to get more into those stories.
I don’t see that leadership ever working at OS! OS has no vision, plays too much politics, and high expectations fan with an unwillingness to finance what it takes to win. While losing Rich Brooks, Bill Byrne, Dan Williams and Dave Frohnmeyer made financial commitments that at one point to save money and finish key projects forced Brooks to be AD and HC with very little pay increase! It almost cost the Stubborn ex-Beaver his job before the fruits of their labor paid off with a Pac10 championship. It seems like the old Oregonian led the “Ditch Rich” campaign! It’s good when good leadership can shutout outside unproductive noise! It’s too bad today’s columnist and sportswriter tune out the true depth of history! Maybe an interview with Bill Byrne, Brooks and if alive Dan Williams in the same room could tell you why Oregon succeeded in the late 80’s through the first cotton bowl without Nike and the Knights! I will tell you Bowerman’s influence since the 60’s has always been there with at least sports science
Oregon was 6-5 in 1987, 6-6 in 1988, 8-4 in 1989 and 1990 and then 3-8, 6-6 and 5-6 through 1993. That's "succeeding?"
Oregon did not become consistently successful until 1999 or 2000, when the impact of Knight's money started making an impact. It always amazes me how much some Duck fans downplay the results of Knight giving hundreds of millions and still try to say their football success happened organically.
Phil Knight donated the indoor facility and helped with marketing in the late 90’s.
By then Oregon had won the conference in 94, had another solid season in 95 and built the base for the 99, 2000 and 2001 teams.
His first huge donation, the stadium expansion, did not occur until after Mike Bellotti turned Oregon into a legitimate national power in 2000 and 2001.
That would be the "legitimate national power" that went 7-6, 8-5, 5-6, 5-6 and 7-6 in the seasons between 2002 and 2007?
You can't even get your facts right in an insult.
UO had a couple of "bad" years (pretty good by OSU standards), winning 20 games between 2002-2004, even though they managed to knock off Michigan in that stretch.
UO then pretty much went back to being a pretty competitive football team, winning 10 games in 2005, not 5. Starting in 2005, after that unfortunate 3 year stretch, UO has exactly one down year over the next decade or so.
My facts are just fine.
Oregon went 7-6 in 2002. It went 8-5 in 2003. It went 5-6 in 2004. Yes, it won 10 games in 2005, then reverted to form and went 7-6 in 2006, and 9-4 (5-4 Pac-12) in 2007.
That is not the record of a "legitimate national power." By no stretch of anyone's imagination.
It did not become a consistent player on the national scene until Knight began pumping millions into the program. Something most Oregon fans seem unwilling to admit.
Which facts of yours are fine, EA?
"Oregon did not become consistently successful until 1999 or 2000, when the impact of Knight's money started making an impact."
Or multiple statements after that which contradict your own statement regarding Oregon's success commencing in 1999 or 2000?
Oregon has certainly enjoyed incredible success since Phil Knight started pumping millions into the program, but as you noted, UO was a success before then (a statement you made only because you f'd up the timing of his major donations).
So no, EA, Oregon fans are not wrong.
We got off to a pretty good start before his major donations, but I think we all realize the incredible impact of his generosity thereafter.
I wouldn't be surprised if Utah eventually becomes a B1G program in the future.
The "Power 2" will consolidate further. I think schools will 'self select' their level based on what they can afford. Utah can afford.
The 'self select' process could also help both the B1G and SEC 'weed out' programs of perennial lesser competition from within. I wonder which programs from the "Power 2" those could be...? Both the B1G and SEC will in fact consolidate further, but I'm very sure FOX and ESPN do not want bloated conferences.
John,
I couldn’t agree more with your “self select” statement. The concept of “living within your means” also would seem applicable.
This is out there and only my opinion based on personal taste: there were a couple of comments suggesting Ken Coe be allowed to contribute track and field “guest” columns. Please don’t. Mr. Coe is a very knowledgeable and informed sports writer. However, his snarky, hang dog, and relentlessly anti - successful people smugness makes me want to revisit illiteracy.
I See an SEC/big 10 merger of 48 to 64 teams. I don’t see OS, WSU, Cal and CO being a part of that. Utah will have to invest more, Stanford will be in good position, and the Arizona schools have a shot as they have good bowl locations
Doing it right. Coach Wit is a class act, a gentleman and a darn good Coach.
The Big-12 will wish he had stayed in the PAC. !!!
I believe he has a very good chance of winning that conference this year, especially with their Q B ( Riesling) (sp) coming back.
I would root for he and his team.
I took my son to the UTE football camps when Coach Whit was in his first year as head coach. Met him then and he was a class act. Fast forward to 2022. met him again in his office. Same class guy. Same warm human. Same resonant demeanor.
I think we lost out on QB Riesling so he's not with us but we do have another good QB Named Cam Rising lol
Sorry my error. That is who I was thinking of !!!!! I thought that be clos for everyone to know I was speaking of, but maybe not, huh?
I spent three days in the Utah football culture
in 2022. When you walk into one of the position group meeting rooms you will see these words displayed prominently.
Academics
Character
Do you love the game?
That is how they recruit.
It is foundational.
This program has a tried and true foundation that evolves.
Very impressive.
A lot of well-deserved accolades for Whittingham here, but it was Urban Meyer who set the course for that program. He left Witt a formula for success and Utah wisely stayed in-house for a replacement. JMHO.
Is winning a bowl game part of that plan? They are 0-5 since 2017 with two losses to that perennial powerhouse NORTHWESTERN.
Slow down. It worked because something happen that no one could course foresee. Kyle Whittingham was a future HOF caliber coach. And he hired assistants who could develop average prospects into NFL products. More than anything, good fortune smiled on Salt Lake City. Don't be so sure it'll remain sunny when Whittingham retires. The landscape is littered with examples.
This has been ASU's problem for decades. Coming out of being a dominant force in the WAC, the boosters expected ASU to dominate the PAC. They se their school as USC or Ohio State. It's neither, athletically or academically. Instead of hiring a bright young coach and building a program like Utah has, they always wanted the "big name" coach who could deliver a winner in a few seasons. They also thought they could out recruit USC or UCLA in SoCal. Instead they ended up with athletes who couldn't make the grade at those schools. ASU has an opportunity to be a force. They now have a much larger population base than they did in 1978 (the population of Arizona is about the same as Washington) so they could develop local recruits instead of playing second fiddle in S Central LA. I hope they do this and educate the boosters that big time programs take a long time to develop and the key is to have a plan, get a young coach with great potential and build that base.
ASU is picked to finish 16th in the Big 12. Has any team ever finished 16th in any league in major-college football? Loving it.
Many could learn from this, not just other school programs... if only! Most choose to sell their soul for the $$$. Most, but not all. There is still some good out there. Thanks for sharing it!
It’s not always the institutions being impatient. Arizona would have made a long term commitment to their last football coach if he wasn’t poached for more cash. It’s dog eat dog right now. Good for Utah
Dog eat dog... also is an endless cycle.
John, Utah is tesatament to patience usually being a winner. But hiring good people to have patience with is another matter. Utah's management team obviously has done a great job. I agree that they are to learn from. Good management plans always have an exit, or future, strategy. Perhaps as you said, 'heir in waiting' is not for everyone, but some sort of plan is better than reacting to donor fickleness or armchair management by disgruntled fans.
good values