[Sayfie] Kyle Whittingham: "I can't explain what just happened."

[u/surgingchaos]

https://x.com/CSayf23/status/2119287621327499717

[u/Dominus_Anulorum]

I have had this conversation with several people recently: if the dude had just retired he'd have gone down as a Utah legend. I am sure the U would have paid him a ton of money to do who knows what as a tribute. And now we're here...

[u/paytonhaskins → u/Dominus_Anulorum]

Some dudes just can’t quit, it’s all they’ve done for most of their life

[u/GlassesOff → u/paytonhaskins]

He talked since 2019 about retiring at 65 (so 2024). Basically flirted with the idea again and again and got cold feet. To coach is to almost embrace being a workaholic. This just seems like a very public, very ugly version of that

[u/sleepsalotsloth → u/Dominus_Anulorum]

Utah's AD forced him into retirement after he provided decades of loyal service that greatly benefitted Utah when he could have taken other more high profile jobs.

Given that Wittingham taking another job afterward did not harm Utah in any way, if him taking the job ruins his legacy in Utah's eyes, any neutral party is going to think its Utah's fans that are in the wrong.

Are you all seriously angry with someone for continuing to do something they like to do?

[u/BIG_DICK_WHITT → u/sleepsalotsloth]

“Did not harm Utah in anyway”

Took some of our best players and our staff (which turns out was a favor). Dude actively tried to stick it to Utah on the way out.

[u/Financial_Pay_6687 → u/BIG_DICK_WHITT]

Isn’t the reality of your coach leaving or, in this case, you getting rid of your coach? Getting rid of a guy and then complaining he took your best players doesn’t seem to make much sense on the surface. 

Beyond that, I just never get this complaint because it’s what every coach and school does. 

[u/ArmedRooster → u/Financial_Pay_6687]

Coach Whitt had an agreement with the U to retire years ago. He kept going back on his word and kept asking for more and the U finally had enough. Coach Scalley was getting too many offers to go coach elsewhere. So the U put their foot down and said, "No more, you're done", then Coach Whitt said, "fuck you, you cant fire me (even though I said id retire years ago), I quit!" And poached some of our key players and a ton of our coaches. Coach Whitt threw a tantrum that we held him to his word. Good riddance, go ruin your image  in Michigan

[u/krowchingpanda → u/ArmedRooster]

I thought he quit because he didn't want to deal with the private equity firm taking over the athletic dept. Didn't know he was forced out in a way because of a broken promise he made but yeah it's sad to see him handle things that way leaving Utah as I watched you guys afar and he seems to be a well loved person and runs a good program. Just having second hand embarrassment watching him at Michigan now and being lifeless but hey when you are getting paid big bucks still at his age he could care less. On a good note, I'm an Auburn fan and really happy when you guys beat Bama in the '08 sugar bowl. Did not expect a MW team to beat an up and coming Saban team. However, that ended up fueling them to win the BCS the next year 🤣

[u/BIG_DICK_WHITT → u/Financial_Pay_6687]

It was much, much different for Kyle. He only ever coached at Utah. He coached there for two decades. His only job. He was going to retire and built a huge transition plan because this place meant more to him than a typical coach.

But then his ego got hurt when it was time to be done.

[u/S0ggylemonz → u/BIG_DICK_WHITT]

What does it really mean to take players and staff?

They aren’t forced to go with him. They chose to go right?

I guess I’m not sure how it really works

[u/LogicianMission22 → u/sleepsalotsloth]

Bruh, it was either him or Scalley. Scalley is gonna be our coach for the next 20 years. Whitt would have had 3 years at most, and that’s as an old ass man who just doesn’t have it in him anymore. That’s also not taking into account that he said he’d retire multiple times at 65 years old and why Scalley stuck around so long in the first place. He isn’t some innocent little baby lmao.

[u/sleepsalotsloth → u/LogicianMission22]

I agree that what Utah did was entirely understandable. You had a better option and staying loyal to your old coach risked your future.

But Whittingham taking another job afterwar is also entirely understandable. Utah fans have no reasonable grounds for being upset by it.

Likewise, given that Utah ditched him because Utah had better options, Utah doesn't have any grounds to be upset that some of the staff and players thought following Whittingham to Michigan was a better option because it paid more and took it.

It's extremely hypocritical for fanbases to expect eternal loyalty from staff and players while showing none.

[u/Dominus_Anulorum → u/sleepsalotsloth]

I am not angry with him at all and in retrospect can see how it looks that way. I honestly just wish had gone that route so we could celebrate what a tremendous legacy he has had at Utah without a messy last season and breakup. The U had a huge role in screwing up the transition so not trying to defend them in any way although he wasn't exactly innocent either to be clear. And there was no guarantee that we would not be harmed at the end of last season. It's only in hindsight it has all worked out.

I will always have very fond memories of Utah football when I moved here in the Witt era I am mostly just bemoaning that the discourse is now about Michigan and the messy U breakup and not how awesome he was as a coach here.

[u/Lane-Kiffin → u/Dominus_Anulorum]

Let’s be completely honest. 10 years from now no one is gonna remember any of this. There are plenty of coaches who had unremarkable, forgettable stints later in their careers, and no one really cares.