Utah’s Kyle Whittingham Unsurprised By Rapid Changes In College Football
Aug 3, 2023, 12:39 PM
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah football head coach Kyle Whittingham has been in college football for a long time and recently told the media the rapid changes we are witnessing don’t surprise him.
Over the past year, Whittingham, who is entering his 19th season as the head coach of the Utes and his 29th season overall with the program, has been very candid about where he sees things heading in college athletics.
Whittingham caused a bit of a stir last October when he predicted the Top-25 in college football will likely start reflecting the programs with the top NIL offerings. He’s now offered up that the move toward a Power 2 system seems inevitable.
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“[Realignment] Has Been Trending That Way 10 Years Ago”
13 years ago, the Utes greatly benefited from conference realignment, getting an invite to the Pac-12 in 2010 and officially joining in 2011.
Utah has been wildly successful over the past decade transitioning from a Group of Five program into a Power Five program who consistently makes the Top-25 year in and year out. The Utes’ success has hit a particularly high point the past five seasons making four trips to the Pac-12’s Conference Championship game and walking away with two titles in 2021 and 2022.
Through that process, Utah’s brand has grown tremendously, and they have even started to receive some College Football Playoff talk over the years. Despite their successes though, at least for now, it appears the next shift could leave Utah out. Only time will tell.
“I’ve thought it’s been trending that way- 10 years ago,” Whittingham said of the volatile nature of current conference realignment. “That was my impression and my opinion, and I think each year we take another step toward that. I think it’s inevitable. The time table? Who knows. Three years, five years, seven years? But I believe that is the direction things are heading.”
There are still some unknowns about what will ultimately happen with the Pac-12 and conference realignment- some of which may be answered later today.
As this story continues to unfold, we will provide updates.
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports
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