ORLANDO, Fla. — Former University of Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham warned reporters that he didn’t like to talk a lot and was working on only four hours of sleep when he stepped to the microphone Sunday morning upon being introduced as the 22nd coach in Michigan football history.
“I am one of those rare college football coaches that doesn’t like to hear himself talk,” Whittingham said.
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But the 66-year-old coach who directed Utah’s program for 21 years and was at the school in Salt Lake City for more than 30 years won the news conference anyway — especially when he was finally coerced into saying that he dislikes Ohio State.
“I do now,” he said, after having talked about his friendship with former Utah, Florida and Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer. “I am on the right side now.”
That drew a lot of laughter, as did the time when he suggested that Meyer was a “four-letter word” in Ann Arbor.
In another bit of breaking news, Whittingham even called Utah rival BYU by its name and said he played for the Cougars in the 1985 Florida Citrus Bowl here in Orlando, a 10-7 loss for the Cougars to Ohio State, of all teams.
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Before anyone could ask, he outlined the reasons why he would step down at Utah after 21 seasons — 17 of them winning seasons — despite still wanting to coach.
“After 21 years at Utah, I stepped down a couple weeks ago,” he said. “Wasn’t sure if I was finished (coaching) or not. I knew there was a lot left in the tank. You could count on one hand the number of schools that I would be receptive to. Michigan was one of those schools. Definitely a top-5 job in the country, without a doubt. When the ball started rolling and the more I learned about Michigan, the more excited I got. I am elated to be here.”
Whittingham flew into Orlando Saturday night and met with the entire team, which is preparing to meet Texas in the Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium on Wednesday. He told the Deseret News that he followed the BYU-Georgia Tech game online on the airplane ride from Salt Lake City, and noted that it was “a good win for the Cougars” over the Yellow Jackets.
Of course, BYU and Utah fans want to know which players and coaches from those staffs will join Whittingham in Ann Arbor. News surfaced Saturday and Sunday that BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill has been targeted and will almost certainly leave Provo for the maize and blue of Michigan.
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Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck is also a possibility to make the jump, as he had a highly successful first season in SLC coaching the likes of Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin.
“Putting together an outstanding staff. Can’t give you any names right now,” Whittingham said. “There are guys that are still working bowl games and playoffs and so forth and so that will be forthcoming.”
Asked specifically in a media scrum after his remarks from the podium about whether he will reach out to a lot of BYU and Utah coaches to build his staff — which he said will be comprised of seven or eight newcomers and two or three holdovers — Whittingham said it is “to be determined” and was still days away from being finalized.
“I am working through that, but I have a plan. That’s all I can say, is a plan is in place. And we will see,” he said. “It should come to fruition in the next week or so. That’s the best answer I can give you to that.”
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What about players at BYU and Utah? Will Whittingham attempt to get the cream of the crop of the Wasatch Front schools to the Big Ten?
“I know you don’t tamper with anybody. That’s not my style. If a player that we have interest in enters the portal, that is a whole different ball game,” he said. “Because now he’s in the portal, he is going somewhere.
So why not Michigan, if it is a good fit?”
More highlights from Whittingham’s introductory press conference:
‘An enjoyable ride in Salt Lake City’
Responding to a Deseret News question about whether he was treated fairly by Utah as his tenure as the winningest coach in school history was winding down, Whittingham said he “absolutely” was.
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“The administration of the university for my entire time there treated me well. Again, it was my decision to step down and I just felt like the time was right,” he said. “I have seen too many coaches hang on too long … In fact, I contemplated stepping down before last season. But we had such a frustrating season. We brought in a fifth quarterback in the middle of year (and went 5-7). I could not end on that note. So I came back and righted the ship, so to speak, and we got back on track.
“But to answer your question, the university treated me nothing but good in my time there. The community, too. … It was just an enjoyable ride in Salt Lake City.”
Of note, Whittingham acknowledged making a mistake at Utah when he was asked how much more he has in the tank.
“Well, I signed a five-year contract. What I made (as) a mistake at Utah is when they started asking me about retirement, and I started answering questions and giving my own thing,” he said. “I am not that old. I am 66. It is not that old. I feel like I got enough energy and juice to see this through.”
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Whittinghams are going from red to deep, rich blue
Accompanied by his wife, Jamie, at the news conference at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Whittingham said he has 11 grandchildren who are all starting to get their Michigan gear in place. He said his grandsons have changed their favorite team from Utah to Michigan on their college football video games.
“What was appealing (about Michigan) was the obvious. It is Michigan, and all that entails — the tradition, the Big House,” he said. “It is one of the most storied programs in college football. So that was a no brainer.”
The coach said he will still follow the Utes from afar and that the program is very much on solid ground. New coach Morgan Scalley will coach the Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska on Wednesday, the same day Whittingham will be in the press box at Camping World Stadium watching the Wolverines face former BYU quarterback Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns.
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“We went 10-2 this year. This (Utah) program that is in a great place right now. Excellent players, excellent coaching staff. I was able to hand the torch to my defensive coordinator, Morgan Scalley, who is an outstanding football coach,” Whittingham said. “I just felt the time was right to exit Utah, but like I said, I still have a lot of energy, and hey, if the right opportunity came I would be all in on that.”
Former players reach out to Whittingham
Whittingham said that since he announced he was stepping down at Utah, he’s received more than a thousand text messages from former Utah players and coaches. He has also heard from former Michigan players and coaches since accepting the job there.
Former Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard texted him, for instance.
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“I wish Tom Brady would, but he is a busy guy, I guess,” Whittingham quipped. “But yeah, I have heard from a handful of former Michigan players and coaches. They are excited.”
Whittingham acknowledged being “surprised” when Michigan called, and said it was a “no-brainer” to listen to athletic director Warde Manuel’s sales pitch.
At about the same time Michigan was firing coach Sherrone Moore for an inappropriate relationship with a university staff member, Whittingham was announcing he was stepping down. At that time, the Wolverines weren’t even remotely on his radar, he said.
“It was very, very uncanny circumstances,” he said.
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What would he be doing if Michigan hadn’t called?
“Skiing, reading books to my granddaughters, riding motorcycles,” he said. “I do a lot of stuff.”
And now he will be doing them on one of the biggest stages in college football, where winning remains the No. 1 priority, he concluded.
