Kyle Whittingham Never Expected To Be HC At Utah This Long, But Wouldn’t Change A Thing
Nov 1, 2021, 3:32 PM | Updated: 3:36 pm
Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham looks at the scoreboard near the end of the game in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021. Utah won 35-21.
SALT LAKE CITY – After the Gary Patterson and TCU parted ways over the weekend, Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham reflected on his time with the Utes.
TCU and head coach Gary Patterson parted ways on Sunday, ending a 21-year run with the Horned Frogs. Whittingham got to know Patterson very well when both Utah and TCU were in the Mountain West Conference.
Whittingham started his Monday morning press conference by congratulating Patterson on a great run at TCU.
“First thing I want to say is congratulations to my good friend Gary Patterson on a great career at Texas Christian University,” Whittingham told the media. “All-time winningest coach, just did a tremendous job during his time there and just won’t be the same without him on the sidelines there at the Horned Frogs Stadium watching him patrol the sidelines, but congrats to Gary and very confident if he wants to keep coaching, he’ll have plenty of opportunities. So, just want to wish him the best and let him know I have the utmost respect for him and what he’s done in his career.”
Whittingham started his presser by congratulating Gary Patterson on a great tenure at TCU.#GoUtes @kslsports
— Trevor Allen (@TrevorASports) November 1, 2021
Whittingham Didn’t Expect To Be At Utah This Long
With Patterson out at TCU, Whittingham is now the second-longest tenured coach in FBS, now in his 17th season at the helm for the Utes. Whittingham never thought he would be the head coach of the Utes this long.
“Not even close,” said Whittingham. “I figured I’d do it three or four years and maybe try the NFL or something like that but it’s been a great run, I’ve got no regrets. If I had to do it over I’d do it just the way it’s laid out. It’s been a terrific ride.”
"Not even close, I thought I would do it three or four years and maybe go to the NFL but I don't regret it at all." – Kyle Whittingham on being the second-longest tenure coach in FBS.
He didn't expect to be at Utah as long as has.#GoUtes
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 1, 2021
Only Kirk Ferentz at Iowa has coached the same program longer than Kyle Whittingham, which is 22 seasons.
Constant Change Is Part Of The Coaching Profession
Seeing coaching changes in the college football world is normal. It’s rare though to see a coach that has done it as long as Patterson has at TCU get fired. That opened Whittingham’s eyes.
“It lets you know that nobody’s safe no matter what the circumstances in college football,” stated Whittingham. “It’s a ruthless business but it should be, you get paid well and I’m not complaining about it but it was an eye opener and came to me as a big surprise. But like I said he’s one heck of a coach and if he wants to keep coaching, he’ll have plenty of suitors to choose from.”
Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com, Co-Host of Faith, Family and Football podcast with Clark Phillips III and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports.
