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Got a great show for you. Friday, December seven, December
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Speaker 3: Further ado, Why don't we just get right into it.
Speaker 1: Let's fire up the ESPN the Fan starting lineup and
I can introduce you to my co host and the
rest of the Star sunycast joining us for this.
Speaker 3: Friday edition of Cougar Sports.
Speaker 1: Coming in first and foremost executive producer, co host hosts.
Speaker 3: He does it all? Is what mn Ronald the Three Man.
We were Roddie, how you living?
Speaker 4: I'm living good, Ben, how are you guys doing today?
Happy Friday? Everybody still can't believe we're in December and
that a new year's coming upon us, Ben, This year
went by fast, A lot of good happened, back and
back double digit win seasons hard to do. But I
can't believe that twenty twenty five is almost or or
not there yet.
Speaker 3: Though too blessed to be stretched? Is Ronald the Three
Man move?
Speaker 1: By the way, Ronald will be leading us up to
tip off tomorrow for first edition Cougar Sports Basketball pregame show.
So you got to keep us tuned in the one
o three nine FM dow then I need within three
FM dow here on your Utah ESPN Radio Network ESPN
The Fans Show.
Speaker 3: Can't wait for that, Ronnie. Also, let's welcome to the show. Brent.
Always bring the hammer Hammer Times show. What's happening? Brother?
I have to do the hard hurt, the hard hitting
big jay journalism, journalistic questions on the show.
Speaker 5: But somebody has to do it, and I guess it
has to be mean, it shall be. I have a question.
I need to know if this is a Utah thing.
I need to know if my family just never did
this growing up. But as as the resident guy for well,
I guess not from you've lived in Utah longer than
any of us, and your wife I guess also is
it from Utah?
Speaker 3: I just need to know.
Speaker 5: I guess, Okay, I guess maybe you're not even the
best person to ask about this. I'm gonna I'm gonna
answer it, but maybe maybe your maybe your family's like mine.
So growing up for me and ron and I have
had this conversation this morning. But growing up in my house,
when we decorated the tree, it was like a family event.
And so like my everybody of all ages was decorating
the tree. Whether my sisters were three and seven or whatever,
it was, everybody was putting stuff on the tree. And
we had a Christmas movie on and it was incredible
and it was something that.
Speaker 3: We did together. I loved that growing up.
Speaker 5: I found out when I got married, though, that not
everybody does it that way.
Speaker 3: So my wife's house and and my in laws, and.
Speaker 5: Look, if you know anything about Brett always bringing the hammer.
I love my in laws. I say it time and
time again on the show. My in laws are the best.
This is not a shot shot shot. It might be
a shot look and look, I promise you Neil doesn't
even care. Neil actually probably prefers it this way. But
my I guess my question is so in my wife's house,
and I guess now my house, in my in law's house,
the way they do the tree decorating is my wife
because she's so like professional with it.
Speaker 3: She does.
Speaker 5: She has all these matching ornaments and a color scheme
and all these signs and she decorates it all on
her own. And that's how my mother in law is
as well, and so they just have a tree. So
in my house and my in law's house, it's just
a tree that was just decorated by either my mother
in law or my wife.
Speaker 3: And so I was like, Hey, I have this ornament
that I really like. Can she put it on the can?
I put it on the tree? And my wife goes.
Speaker 5: It doesn't really go with like the style and the vibe,
And I'm like, okay, Well, when I was growing up,
everybody just put whatever they wanted on the tree. This
was not like a professional I'm gonna post this on
my LinkedIn to get business type of deal. But apparently
for some people, like decorating the tree is like a
professional event. So I'm curious, like, how is it for you?
What's it like at your house?
Speaker 3: Well?
Speaker 1: I think, I mean I have a four year old
and a two year old, so like what has to
happen first is it's ben you need to bring down
all the Christmas boxes? Right, so I'm power cleaning, like
you know, So if anyone's ever so irved food before
large plates, foods like I have my little like I
have these massive binsp so I have to kind of
like bring them onto my shoulder and then I'm holding
them down as I'm you know, like forty fifty sixty pounds. Yeah,
like I mean, they're pretty robust. A lot of crap,
A lot of Christmas A lot of crap, Yeah, a
lot of crap. You know, we tend to accumulate crap
over the years. As you you've lived in a home
now for you know, almost five years. So I have
a lot of crap. We have a lot of stuff
Christmas stuff. I shouldn't call it crap. It's it's very sacred.
So I bring all that stuff down and then we
roll it into the kitchen. Right, it's my job to
put up the Christmas tree. I can tell you what
happened this year. Some of the lights were out there.
The lights were integrated into the tree on our former
tree with like the white fluffy stuff. I can't remember
if it's a powdery and it's always like shedding and
stuff like that.
Speaker 3: And I was like, I hate this tree. I hate
this tree. My wife had purchase a different tree for
our room.
Speaker 5: Oh so you are also one of the families that
has more than a tree in that in one tree.
Speaker 3: Okay, yeah, right.
Speaker 1: I assion my wife said we needed a tree, so
she had already purchased one and set up her.
Speaker 3: Own tree in our room. Wow.
Speaker 1: So I'm sitting there taking off like she had hodgepodge
some other lights from last year because the lights had
gone out like midway through December, and I didn't want
to like get a new tree because it costs like
five hundred freaking box yep. I don't want that anyway,
So like I take off all that. I'm like, look like,
I say, what we do? I don't like this tree
out here? I say, we put the tree that's in
our room out here, and then we'll bring this tree
that I hate in there, and then I'll wrap around
some old school Christmas lights onto this tree and everybody's happy.
So we did that, okay, So I had to put
you know, I had to move that one tree bring
it out, and there was all any ornaments on there,
and I just had to put the star on. My
wife decorated that tree, correct, Yeah, I already decorated that one.
And then I put the other one into our room,
which is too big for the room, but it is
what it is.
Speaker 3: And then I put my dad or my wife.
Speaker 1: We grew up with the traditional Like I don't know,
is it clandest clan?
Speaker 3: What is it? The lights called.
Speaker 1: Clandescent, right, clandescent lights. I think that's called that's what
it's called.
Speaker 3: I'm not familiar. Yeah, it's like an I think it's
clandescent lights. Anyway.
Speaker 1: There are all the different colors like red, orange, green,
blue bulbs, and they heat up, they heat up like
you know, like so she loves those. We have those
on the house energy built through the roof because sure
not all that effective, and and so I wrapped those
around the tree. Hopefully we don't burn down the house out.
So that's what we do now. But what about growing up?
Growing up, I want to say, like we were involved.
I don't know if it was as like I don't
remember like the Christmas story being on in the background
and us all eight kiss coming together to like throw
stuff on. Okay, I feel like it like we were involved,
but it was more so like my mom that was
creating the magic and my dad was probably creating the magic,
and we could kind of aid and support.
Speaker 3: I like your idea. I like I didn't know everyone
didn't do it. The way that I I think it's great.
Speaker 1: Like I I think like Christmas is about what I
mean obviously about Christ, right, but it's about tradition, yeah,
and being together, being together and.
Speaker 3: Making members with family.
Speaker 5: And I'll never argue that my tree growing up ever
looked ten percent as good as the one that my
wife has put up in our house. However, to me,
I'm like, it's not about how good it looks. But again,
I'm the man. I'm not the one. I'm not the
woman who makes and my look, my wife has decorations
for every season holiday.
Speaker 1: I swear every Tuesday we have new decorations in my house.
My wife always says, I have to make the house
into a home. That's what she said, Yes, exactly what
she says.
Speaker 3: Answer justification for making magical all the times of the year. Yep.
So I can never make it look that good.
Speaker 5: But the way I see it, I'm like, you know,
we both got to be involved with decorating the tree. However,
that's not how it went. I literally I was. I
had one one ornament. I was like, hey, can I
throw this on the tree. I love this ornament? She goes,
I mean, well, like I love it, and like it's
really cute and everything.
Speaker 3: But like, I just, you know, you know what I'm saying.
And I was like, no, I don't. I don't know
what you're saying.
Speaker 5: She's like, it would just be better, like if it
just didn't go on the tree. And I'm like, yeah, okay,
so you're saying is you don't want me to be
a part of the tree decorating process.
Speaker 3: And she's like.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I'm like, okay, well it looks incredible. I'll just
my job is to carry the tree. Oh rat news
all right, my wife sent a text. Who entered the
portal or what's going on?
Speaker 6: It's it's it's up upon the hill, Ben. But we
can get it to nitty gritty if you want to.
Speaker 3: Well, hey, break the news and then we'll get into this.
Speaker 6: Right, we'll break the news.
Speaker 3: Guys. Here it is.
Speaker 4: This is from the official account of Utah Football. Kyle
Whittingham to step down as Utah head coach, all time
one against coach in Utah football history, will coach his
last game for the Utes in the Las Vegas Ball
on New Year's Eve, my birthday.
Speaker 6: Haha, A great day to do it on.
Speaker 4: He says this, it's the time is right to step
down for my position as head football coach at the
University of Utah. It's been an honor and a privilege
to lead the program for the past twenty one years,
and I'm grateful for the relationships forged with all of
the players and assistant coaches and have worked so hard
and proudly warned the drum and feathered.
Speaker 6: During our time here.
Speaker 4: The opportunity to guide so many talented young men as
they pursue their goals, both on the field and off
the field, has truly been a blessing. Thank you to
the university, the Salt community, all of you nation, and
most of all, my wife and family for your unwavering
support that has helped make Utah football what it is today.
Speaker 6: Kyle Winningham.
Speaker 1: Coach Kyle would have stepping down as head coach at
the University of Utah. We'll give our thoughts here momentarily,
but check out the rest of our ESPN the fans
starting lineup.
Speaker 3: We got a star study cast.
Speaker 1: Know if Sands or Butch about it, obviously, my guys, Ronald,
the three man, Weaver, Brett always bringing the hammer. We'll
get to Jay Hills Sound, We'll get to Darnell Dixon
and a Cougar beat Ronald the three man Weaver caught
up with Justin Enna down at practice the linebackers coach,
don't miss that. We'll welcome in Lane Allo of game
day Man's health at five oh five, and then Steve
Klement's former bo your quarterback at five point thirty. All
that and more here in your Utah ESPN Radio network.
Let's get into the nitty gritty brought to you by
Complete Circuit Electric, Complete Circuit Electric, Utah dot Com.
Speaker 7: And gentlemen, we have.
Speaker 3: Please present our duncas with that interpretation of the.
Speaker 8: Check one to one too.
Speaker 2: So anyways, let's get down to the.
Speaker 1: Then diddy gritty, always brought to you by our good
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Meeting your electrical needs one circuit at a time. Russell Taylor,
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Speaker 1: Complete circuit electric coomplete circuit Electric Utah dot com. So
breaking news, Uh, Kyle Whittingham is retiring. I didn't know
if this would happen quite honestly, but going back to
the BYU game, Ronald the three Man Weaver post a
question to Kyle, and essentially it was, does the fact
that you've lost three in a row in this rillery
game influence you at all to come back next season?
And he said no, because we were nine in a
row before that, so we're still on the positive side
of that ledger.
Speaker 3: You know. It wasn't like a whole lot.
Speaker 1: Of like After that, I was like, okay, like he's
probably not coming back. But this offseason, I was like, man,
they had a great season. They're top twenty five, their
top what fifteen in the College Football Playoff Poll, They're
going to a good bowl game, they're gonna finish strong,
and they you see the influx of money coming with
this private private equity deal. Even though you lose a
lot of talent, especially along the offensive line, you still
retain most of your offense. It looks like and skill
position guys, and we'll see how the attrition plays out.
But I was like, well, maybe if there's hope that
he comes back, maybe there's an idea that he is
coming back. Morgan Scalley's been the head coaching waiting for
a long time. Though he may get a little bit impatient,
there's still vacancies available, you know, Michigan's open now in
Morgan Scalley that some have talked about him going out there.
I don't know how many valid sources are saying that
he's connected to that job, but there's plenty of other
jobs out there still. There could be more open up. Shoot,
who knows that Morgan could take a look at. And
I don't think Morgan wants to leave the University of Utah,
but he's kind of probably sitting there like, hey, it's
my time, this is the place for me. Kyle decides
that the time is right to step down from my
position as the head coach at the University of Utah.
And I believe after the Kansas State game, after that
comeback victory Senior Day, Kyle was very emotional, and so
that was another sign that like I'm like, Okay, he's
probably on his way out.
Speaker 3: But once again, like I.
Speaker 1: Think this has been a struggle internally. You see this
influx of capital. You see, Hey, you can go out
and buy talent. He's like, well, I can still do this.
I can win with this, louqual We just did. We
were three points away from beating our rival.
Speaker 3: You know what I mean? Like were we through three quarters?
Speaker 1: We were fighting tooth and nail versus Texas Act, the
number four team in the country, You know what I mean?
Like we're right there on the cusp of greatness of
elite college football productivity and wins. Again that there was
maybe a battle there. I don't know, but the time
is Righty States. It's been an honor and of privilege
to lead the program for the last twenty one years,
and I'm very grateful for the relationships forwards with all
the players assistant coaches that have worked so hard and
proudly warn the drum and feather during our time here.
The opportunity to gut so many talented young men as
they pursued their goals both on and off the field,
has truly been a blessing. Thank you to the university,
the Saltly community, all of yout nation, and most of all,
my wife and family for your unwavering support that has
helped make Utah football what it is today. Number one
legendary coach, legendary college football player, a former BYU great
whack defensive Player of the Year.
Speaker 3: Was a baller, tenacious, competitive, chip on his.
Speaker 1: Shoulder, always moving forward, always competing, always winning, like one
A ton of football games for the Utes, Championships for
the Utes, got to you know, postseason play every single year,
it seemed, broke the BCS to a degree, broke it.
Beat Alabama and Oaight with a perfect seed. I mean,
like all these things, like kept the momentum that Urban
had created. Great coach, this man deserves a statue at.
Speaker 3: Rice ecl Stadium.
Speaker 1: And quite honestly, with everything that he accomplished at the U,
I do believe, and some BA fans will disagree with me,
everything that he accomplished at BYU and everything that he
accomplished at the University of Utah, I believe that this
man should be inducted into the BYU Football Hall of Fame.
Like I said Hotte, but I think he should. I
think it would be a tip of the cap to
a legendary football player in BA football history. And look
at what he's done with his coaching tree too. Kilanie's
a part of that coaching tree. Jay Hill is a
part of that coaching tree. A Rod's a part of
that coaching tree. Your coaches right now at BYU, many
of them stem from opportunities at the U of U. Now,
did Kyle get rid of a Rod to a certain degree, Yes?
Did he let Jay walk to Weaver Yes? Did he
let Kilanie walk to Oregon?
Speaker 3: Yes? Oregon State.
Speaker 1: But he's had a significant impact as a part of
Lavelle Edwards tree as well. The Wittingham family for a
long time coincided with the BYU football family. Then he
took his talents to the U said hey, BYU, You're
not the place I need go to. The U must
have been a difficult decision for him, there's no doubt
about it. But in the last twenty one years he's
won a ton of football games. So Number one, build
a statue for him at rice Ecles Number two.
Speaker 3: BYU fans. I know you hate this, but I hope.
Speaker 1: The AD looks at this, evaluates this over the next
few years and says we need to induct Kyle Whittingham
as a BYU Football Hall of Famer.
Speaker 3: Now, how would Kyle receive that.
Speaker 1: I don't know, would if he's not going to receive
it warmly, kindly, nicely, He's like, nah, like because he's
going to be inducted into two hall of fames, obviously
the University of Uta Hall of Fame, and then you'd
be inducted into the BA Football He may say, guys
like no, like I made my bed, I'm gonna sleep
in it. I was a former BA football player, but
I'm a Utah man am I.
Speaker 3: He may say, no, you don't need to do it.
Does boy you still do it?
Speaker 1: I don't know, but I think both of those things
need to happen. So congratulations to a success full coaching
career sixty six years of age. Okay, been playing and
coaching since he came out.
Speaker 3: Of the womb. Essentially, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1: The Winningham family is a football family. I've met a
bunch of them, all of them football dudes, football players,
football guys, as Ruden would say, got an eye for talent.
You recently, you know, you've been doing some work with
the Jimmer Furdet podcast from the Logo and Eric Weddle
hopped on and discussed how Urban Meyer didn't even want him.
It was Kyle Whittingham that as a football player, you
know he advocated from Kylewddy has like diamond in the rough.
I want this kid. I need this kid. Overall head
coaching record once one hundred and seventy seven wins, eighty
eight losses.
Speaker 3: He's eleven and six in bowl games.
Speaker 1: Mount West Conference champion in two thousand and eight, two
PAC twelve Conference championships in twenty twenty one, twenty twenty two.
He's gone to two Rose Bowls, four PAC twelve Divisional
championships in twenty fifteen, eighteen, nineteen, and twenty twenty one.
He was the AFCA Coach of the Year in two
thousand and eight, Paul bear Bryant Ward winner in two
thousand and eight, Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year in
twenty nineteen, two Time Pack twelve Coach of the Year
two thousand, nineteen, twenty twenty one, Mountain West Conference Coach
of the Year in two thousand and eight. In nineteen
eighty one, he was the Whack Defensive Player of the Year,
First Team All Whack in nineteen eighty one, and most
wins obviously in.
Speaker 3: Utah football history.
Speaker 1: Right so your thoughts, your commentary, your follow up to it,
Brett always bringing the hammer.
Speaker 3: Man, I'm with you this.
Speaker 5: I truly was on the fence about whether or not
he would come back, and honestly, after seeing the private
equity deal, that's what because I thought he was I
thought he was done, and then I saw the private
equity deal and I was like, you know what, I
wonder if that much money and that big of a
budget to work with convincing someone, you know, maybe I
don't even to go into retirement. And usually I feel
like we hear rumors about things that are going to
happen before they do, and most of the rumors I
heard were saying, Hey, I.
Speaker 3: Think Kyle's going to be done.
Speaker 5: But then after he was supposed to give notice, I
stopped really hearing anything, and I was like, maybe maybe he.
Speaker 3: Really will come back.
Speaker 5: Especially when you think about Ron's question to him of like, hey,
you've lost three in a row, I almost feel like
it kind of reminds me of like guys who want
to go out on a Super Bowl. Obviously, you're not
going to go out on a national championship. I shouldn't
say obviously. Utah is capable of winning.
Speaker 3: But something that's more I guess in your control is
you can go out on beating BYU and so.
Speaker 5: And they're certainly good enough. They've been good enough the
last two years. They've been great games both years, and
so that makes you wonder like maybe Kyle comes back
just to finish on a win. But then you go
to his last press cop where they asked him, Hey,
what are you gonna do, like, what are you gonna
make the decision? And not only does he say, I'm
gonna watch college football this weekend, he goes, I'm watching
college football spread eagle on the couch.
Speaker 3: And and for those of you who don't know, spread.
Speaker 5: Eagle is about as lazy a body position as you
can be in.
Speaker 3: Your body is just dead gone over it. And so
when you hear.
Speaker 5: That, that makes you think, yeah, he might just be
ready to be done, and to be fair, he's earned it.
And on top of that, as you were talking about
this new NIL world that we live in, I mean, Ben,
look at the all time coaches who have not adjusted
or have retired since NIL started. Coach Saban retired, now,
Kyle Whittingham has retired, Dabo Sweeney has it retired. But
We've seen him really struggle to adjust to Nil. These
coaches who were titans of the industry, Bronco took a
sabbatical and then leveled down to New Mexico and then
went to your thus state. Because it's just such a
steep learning curve and it is essentially a new game altogether.
Everything everything that you thought would work pitching kids straight
up on morals and merits.
Speaker 3: Isn't good enough anymore.
Speaker 5: Just having a great program that gets guys to the
NFL isn't good enough anymore.
Speaker 1: You have Meyer went from college to the NFL. Did
you mention him? No?
Speaker 3: I didn't. That's another great one. I forgot about that.
Like it.
Speaker 1: I think it's just showing us like it's such a
tough adjustment.
Speaker 5: And that's not a shot at any of these guys.
That's not a shot at win, that's not a shot
at Saban. It is truly proving the point that Nil
is a beast, and the world of college football that
we live.
Speaker 3: In right now is a beast.
Speaker 5: And I think it tells these guys like Kyle Winningham
and coach Saban, who are some of the best to
ever do it, say I just don't know if I
can keep up with how constantly changing a landscape this is,
and really living in a world where morals and merits
aren't enough to get a guy recruited, You have to
give him the bag, and everyone is in it for
me and not we. And so I think that's another
interesting component to this conversation is when you think about
it like that. My first question though, when I hear
Kyle Whittingham's retired, is does.
Speaker 3: That help or hurt the rivalry?
Speaker 5: And I'm talking about like the internet side of things,
how people feel about it, how people treat one another,
because even this year, like we have Kyle Whittingham saying
I'm not going to talk about Bear, I don't want
to talk about Yu because there's probably some kind of animosity.
We know there was an incident a few years ago
at a game. And again, when you're that close, the
people that are the closest to you are the ones
who can hurt you the most. And so I wonder
if getting a new coach helps or hurts this rivalry,
if it intensifies it or maybe it cools off a
little bit. I'm really curious to see how things go.
But anyone who doesn't think Kyle Whittingham is a Hall
of Famer. You're crazy. Any b YU fan today you
may be. In fact, b YU fans should probably be
happy today because now you're saying, man, we don't have
to see that guy again. And any b YU fan
who wants to discredit Kyle Whittingham on this day, any
moron or troll on the Internet who wants to discredit
Kyle Whittingham today, that's that's not where you're gonna find me.
And frankly, I hope you don't find yourself there. Kyle
Whittingham is stepping down, and he deserves a round of
applause and a tip of the cap.
Speaker 1: I was thinking about basketball coaches too, that stepped down Skrzyzewski.
I think Roy Williams at UNC Yeah right, Jim Beheim.
Speaker 3: Yeah, holy cow?
Speaker 5: Oh, Villanova, j right, Jay Wright, Bruce Pearl, Bruce Pearl at.
Speaker 3: Auburn, Yeah, Auburn. He went into the earlier. Yeah, it's
just this year. Guy from Florida a couple of years
ago who was on ESPN for a while. I think
I guess now he's Tony Bennett Virginia.
Speaker 1: Yeah, who is a Georgetown guy who was the Yukon
head coach before Hurley.
Speaker 3: Calhoun.
Speaker 1: Jim, I don't know, I'm trying to think of that
one anyway. Yeah, Bruce Pearl, I think, yeah, Jim Calhoun
retired for the final time in two day Jim Collen
after the second stint at Saint Joseph's, but he was
a long time Yukon coach, I think anyway. Yeah, I
mean Urban Meyer, Nick saban Uh now now Kyle Whittingham,
some iconic coaching figures. It's just hard to think that
that's not connected to nil like that all of these
guys in a five year span, people that we and
and look, part of it was like they all got
old at the same time because they were all great
at the same time. But the other component of this is,
as we're talking about, like Ni l has basically said.
Speaker 5: Hey, I know what made you really good at your job.
We're taking that away. You need now something completely different
because it's not about merits and morals anymore. Yeah, which
you know that whole that whole commentary in and of itself,
it's just like, I mean, a lot of these guys,
it's kind of like coach O said, you heard that
sound bite.
Speaker 1: Yeah, he was asked the question coach ozon what would
you do? How would you adapt to the new nil landscape.
He's like, Wow, instead of going through the back door,
they're coming through the front door. Now the bagman are
coming through the front door anyway, and he laughs it off.
Speaker 3: Everyone's been cheating.
Speaker 1: Did you hear Johnny Manziel's commentary, Yeah, Johnny manziel I
shared this with a bunch of former players. I'm like,
just so everybody knows, like I am about ninety nine
point nine percent sure that no one on my team
from five to seven got any sort of bags.
Speaker 3: Nothing nobody.
Speaker 1: So we went eleven and two, eleven and two, and
then like, I don't think anyone got bags either.
Speaker 3: In O eight oh nine without any bags.
Speaker 1: So ba fantasy to realize we've been winning without being
capable of getting bags and cheating everyone else has been
cheating everybody. So like when I say BYU has one
more with per dollar spent than any college football team
in the country, I really mean that, not only from
an an internal organization standpoint, but also from a player standpoint.
We have not been getting those liquid funds. Those bagmen's
handed out cash to us.
Speaker 9: You'd be lucky as a football player to go get
a job locally that pagia, you know, twenty bucks an
hour or something like that for doing an average job,
an average day's work.
Speaker 1: That was the best you were probably getting maybe free
golfs and some free food on occasion. That's about it. Wow,
that's about it, no bagman. Anyway, Let's go to break.
Congratulations Kyle Whitningham of the University of You Tom. I
think the silver lining and all this is. I'll say
this much. He's a legendary coach. He deserves a statue
and I believe boy he should induct him into their
BA Football Hall of Fame Athletics Hall of Fame. But
he has lost three in a row to BYU and
that's glorious. It's a glorious things for BYU fans.
Speaker 3: We'll go to.
Speaker 1: Break, don't go anywhere more to get to we get
to some j Hills sound coming up next.
Speaker 3: What are his thoughts? Does Jay Hill still want to
be a head coach?
Speaker 1: Does he still want to be a head coach? That's
a good instanccressiable delve into it coming up next. That
was a great segment, though, guys, by the way, is
the season to be giving.
Speaker 3: The road home.
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donations right now, the road home dot org. Head on
over to any Rocky Mountain Chevy dealership. Okay, Rocky Mountain
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Speaker 3: You can go to ESPN thefan dot com.
Speaker 1: See where those locations are and drop off nonperishable food items,
hygiene items and lightly used clothing, blankets.
Speaker 3: Whatever you whatever it.
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and drop it off at those Rocky Mountain Chevy dealerships.
We'll go to break. Don't go anywhere more to get to.
This is Cougar Sports one of three nine naty eight
point three.
Speaker 2: ES fall team. Ben Qrittle was built, not born, and
since two thousand and nineties built himself into the go
to source on.
Speaker 8: The radio and online for all things Cougars. This is
Cougar's Sports with Ben Kretle on one O three nine
at ninety three ESPN.
Speaker 1: The fans, We've come along away from where we began.
Speaker 7: I'll tell you all about it when again.
Speaker 3: When by car Legendary Cougar.
Speaker 5: Leddaire you know on the planes, how many people fall,
how many of them are there?
Speaker 1: But something Aaron the only kill and Kyle maybe I
don't know. Legendary but the hill is is how Klon
is considered, but that he is beloved, he has beloved.
Speaker 5: Or is it a legendary person who also participated for
both schools like legendary as a whole.
Speaker 3: I don't know. I don't know. I think Kyle embodies that.
Speaker 1: I do think Utah, the Utah Utes, the fan base,
the former players, the media members, they beloved Kilan is
beloved by them. So there's only two maybe that are
beloved by both fan bases. Kyle Whittingham, actually Ronnie Matt coach,
coach Ron McBride. He's beloved by b A fans. I
think they love him. If you've ever chatted with him,
be love them. He's a great guy. So anyway, maybe
maybe only three, Maybe only three.
Speaker 3: Maybe Lavelle has beloved to by utes. I don't think so.
I think he's a but so shout out to kyleen Aham.
It's been it's we've we've got a long way together.
You know.
Speaker 1: The thing that that I can say is, you know,
when I've played in this Utah game, this holy war.
I'm two and oh against them, utes two and oh
against uh Kyle Whittingham, and uh, I know it's not
just me playing in that game. It takes wee, it's
not just me. But uh, I'm two and oh baby
against Kyle.
Speaker 3: It's tough to do.
Speaker 1: It's been tough to beat Kyle Whittingham. Very few have
been able to say I got dubs. The last three
times though, those players, those teams, those coaches have been
able to say.
Speaker 3: We we got you, We beat you in the same
conference as Utah, they beat them.
Speaker 5: I put that out on my Instagram and you you
tough ends came for me. Oh, they hated it, but
I mean it's it's It's true. It's hard to beat
him when he hasn't a different advantage, you know. Yeah,
But you know what's funny to me is that, like,
there will be a day and you'll probably be taking
your grandkids to this game. That's how far away it's
gonna be. And your grandkids are gonna be like why
are they? And he'll be it'll be like the BYU
Utah game, and he'll come out and he'll do one
of those things where he's like holding a check or
he's standing at midfield or whatever, and your grands under
granddaughter's gonna.
Speaker 3: Be like, who's that guy? And you're gonna be like,
I don't.
Speaker 5: Know how you could not know this because he was
such a big part of college football. But there's gonna
be someday some BUYU Utah game when he's gonna come
out and make his return, and it'll be cool.
Speaker 1: Love it, man, Love it ladies and gentlemen. Yeah, shout
out to Kyle Woodingham. He's taking his talents into retirement.
Now technically he's gonna still get paid by the University
of Utah.
Speaker 3: He's gonna be like an associate athletic director.
Speaker 1: He's gonna ride off into the sunset into the Administrative Administration.
Speaker 3: Building is where he's gonna be at.
Speaker 1: Don't be surprised if he's on the board of of
the new Utah Brands LLC. That is, is still involved
in some way, shape or form in recruiting, development, retention. Okay,
as a senior analyst too, you know what I mean? Like,
why wouldn't you want him in the booth if you could?
Speaker 3: So?
Speaker 1: My question of the day, I'm gonna put it out
there here momentarily, but I do want to get to
some sound from Jay Hill. Where does this year rank
among the best seasons of BA football history? And how
does the bowl game performance factor into your rank? So
I want you guys to think about that.
Speaker 3: You know what I mean?
Speaker 1: If you look year over year, what Boway has been
able to accomplish eleven and two season only two losses
to the fourth ranked team, maybe then eventual national champion.
I think also like this, where does this year rank
among the best seasons. It's going to be probably influenced
and determined by where Texas Tech finishes. That's another element
in all this. So so it's something to debate, no
doubt about it.
Speaker 3: Let's get into some soundbites.
Speaker 1: What do you say, Jay Hill, discussing all manner of
different commentaries your assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for
the BYU Cougar football team. Let's get into it here
on your Utah ESPN Ready to never get to be
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Royal Army brand dot com. Jahill, how deep are you
into preparing for Georgia Tech.
Speaker 7: Yeah, we've studied them a lot already. They have a
very good run scheme. I love it. It's complicated. They
can hit you from all angles, which is one reason
why it's been so effective. The quarterback obviously makes it run.
The acc quarterback of the year, so I mean he's
played very, very good. He can run it, he can
throw it, and he's scored a lot of touchdowns this year.
So they've got weapons on the perimeter, and I think
their offensive line is athletics. So it's good offense, very.
Speaker 1: Good, really good offense. And their defense they're decent. They
don't take the ball away a whole lot, but they're
a good football team. They're nine in three this season.
There is the reason why they're a top twenty five team.
They've had some good victories this season and some disappointing
losses for certain so that's Jay hills scattering report on them.
Is Georgia Tech similar to any teams you've faced thus
far this year?
Speaker 7: Jay Hill, Oh, schematically that they're a little bit like
West Virginia. Utah has a similar run scheme. Just it's yeah,
those would probably be the two closest I would think.
Speaker 1: Hey, and you know b Yu was able to limit Well,
actually the run scheme for Utah getting outside the tackle
box that was actually quite success.
Speaker 3: Well, West Virginia not as much.
Speaker 5: No, and keep in mind everyone who's like, I don't
know how good Georgia Tech is because they couldn't even
compete in the ACC. This is a Georgia Tech team
who lost to Georgia by a touchdown. They lost sixteen
to They held Georgia to sixteen points.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 5: Now, the only reason they couldn't win because Georgia's defense
is elite and they couldn't score. But in a rivalry
game on a neutral field. It wasn't even at home.
It was actually in Mercedes Benz dumb, which all my
friends from Georgia and I are wondering why they did that.
Different story for a different day, but they almost beat
a Georgia team who is going to be a team
to be reckoned within the playoffs. And yeah, what makes
Georgia Tech so tough to defend is that their running
backs are incredible and similar to BYU, one of their
best running backs also happens to be able to throw
the football.
Speaker 3: And a guy named Haines King.
Speaker 5: Who probably if if Georgia gets Georgia Tech gets to
eleven wins, if they win, the acc were probably talking
about Hayines King for a Heisman because he was up.
They're in that conversation for a long time, so I
think it'll be probably. I think Utah is a really
apt comparison because Devin Dan Pierre and whoever they had
they slided in there at that quarterback spot was just
as much a threat to throw the ball as they
were to run on every single snap. That's exactly how
Georgia Tech and his Haines King offense it is going
to be this season.
Speaker 1: Their nine wins came against Colorado twenty seven to twenty,
Gardner Webb fifty nine to twelve. They beat Clemson twenty
four to twenty one, beat Temple forty five to twenty four.
They beat Wake Forrest thirty to twenty nine. And Ot
it was a good win. Virginia Tech thirty five to twenty.
They beat Duke twenty seven to eighteen. That was at
Duke Syracuse forty one to sixteen. They lost to NC
State that was at NC State forty eight to thirty six.
Speaker 3: Kept it close.
Speaker 1: They were at Boston College and beat them thirty six
thirty four.
Speaker 3: They beat pitt Or.
Speaker 1: They lost to pitt that was at home forty two
to twenty eight. And then they lost to Georgia sixteen tonight.
So when they have lost these in competitive games, no
doubt about it. All right, Let's get back to some
of the commentary from Jay Hill. Is Georgia Tech, excuse me?
How full of how full of a defense? When we
see in the bowl game? Are you are any guys
planning to opt out?
Speaker 7: I don't know. I mean, that's that's that's the way
of the world right now. I don't I don't see
it really happen in that much of BYU. We have
great kids that want to play one more game together,
and that's such an individual decision that they have to
handle on their own. But I think we'll have the
big majority of our guys for sure.
Speaker 1: So far we only have two portal entries, le Mason
Waller and Don McKenzie, both wide receivers.
Speaker 3: I don't know anything.
Speaker 5: However, I feel like I read people pretty well and
that feels like one of those answers, which is I
know some things and I've heard some things, and I
don't know how to properly answer this question.
Speaker 3: So probably somebody, but also J.
Speaker 5: Hill's like, first of all, we're wind no matter who's
on the field, and second of all, like, just because
I don't know, I think we're more mature with opt
outs as a as a people, as a fan base
than we used to be. It used to be if
somebody opted out, we were like, oh wow, you're soft,
you don't want to play another football game. And now
it's more of like, yeah, it sucks and we're sad
about it, but we get it. You're doing it because
you're trying to go get paid at the next level.
Speaker 1: So yeah, yeah, well we wish whoever opt outs well
in this process. First practice back, how did it go?
How did the team look coming back off of the
Big twelve championship game?
Speaker 7: Oh? Yeah, it was fun. It was fun to be
back out there. This is a great team. I mean,
they love each other, they play hard for each other,
they practice well against each other. So it was just
good to get back out there.
Speaker 1: You wonder, okay, And as we go through this reading
between the lines, remember Jay Hill was a ute for
a long time and then he left. He went to
Weaver State and then somehow some we convinced him to
come to BYU. And I think that transition was I
don't know if it was difficult, but like, realize, when
you've competed against BYU, you've recruited against BYU, You're gonna
look at all the follies of BYU football. BYU as
an organization, it's fan base. You may poke fun at
certain elements of the culture, right Like all those things
are a part of who you've been for a long
time as a player, as a coach in your career.
Speaker 3: Does that make sense? Yeah?
Speaker 1: And so I wonder, like how much BYU has rubbed
off on Jay Hill to the point where he's like,
you know what, Like, I really like it here. I
don't know if I want to leave here, right Like,
that's what.
Speaker 3: I'm getting at here. We have great kids here.
Speaker 1: Can you recruit once you've experienced I had a conversation
with Gary Anderson about this, Like, once you've experienced that
locker room at b YU and who you're coaching, Like
he's coaching Tannerwall. Tanner Wall is like an AFCA All
Works team. He's got like all these off he's on
the field first team Big twelve and off the field,
he's everything that you want your son to be or
your son in ladab you know what I mean, Like
you're like.
Speaker 3: Grant.
Speaker 1: He's coached Eric Weddell, who was once again that that
he coached that at Utah. Right, Kyle woodinghambent out got him.
So maybe you can go and find those guys. Yeah, right,
But you wonder there's You wonder if there's just more
of an aggregate of those guys in that locker room.
And I've always said it, I believe that there is.
I think there's high level kids and high level places
due to high level people.
Speaker 3: That raise them.
Speaker 1: And uh, and By's locker room is just unique and
single in that way. And you wonder if that keeps
him grounded as an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.
We'll get into a couple of these soundbites here. So
the practice went well, Okay, obviously, let's get into let's
get into number five here, and then we'll get to
the head coaching conversation here in a moment. But the
fact that Folataw is your leading tackler, he's a strong safety.
Is that a good or a bad thing for your safeties?
That when your safeties are leading in that category?
Speaker 7: Well, we use those guys a lot in the run
fits and in this defense, safeties are always going to
be close to the top. I mean that could be
for a lot of reasons. Right now, that's that's run,
that's past. That's him just being a playmaker and showing up.
I mean, he had a really, really good year and
he's one of our best players, so it doesn't surprise
me that he was up there.
Speaker 3: So no problem there.
Speaker 1: You know box players, you see Tanner roll in, you
see Fola Towel rolling.
Speaker 3: We love seeing follow Town in the box. He's a
great box player.
Speaker 5: This feels like one of those stats that you can
make it say whatever you want, And here's proof of that.
BoA's record is what eleven and two, eleven and one
prior to the Big twelve champ yep, So we can
look at that and say, well that's just how the
defense is designed to operate. However, the opposite could also
be true, Like the way you know this stat means
anything is the fact that by is eleven and one,
Because if BYU was one and eleven, then I would say, yeah,
it's probably a problem that you're leading tacklers a safety
because that means everybody is getting through and the first
time somebody's getting touched is.
Speaker 3: At that third level.
Speaker 5: But here and I don't know, I don't know who
asked that, and it probably could have been asked a
little bit better, and I understand asking questions are hard
on all of those things. I think it says more
about Fallataw than it does like, oh, the defense and
the safeties is the first guy making I don't think
that's what it says. I think what it says is
that Fallataw is really not necessarily just a safety. He's
a guy who can play anywhere on the field, and
that's why he raps up so many tackles, not because
guys are just bursting through the hole and the first
time they get touched is by fall of town.
Speaker 3: I think you can make that number say kind of
whatever you want. I feel on that. I read you
read you aloud and clear.
Speaker 1: Let's get back to Jay Hill comments from media availability,
your assistant head coach. We haven't been able to talk
to you since the Kalonate Skataki extension. What was the
attitude of the coaching staff and how do you feel
about the extension?
Speaker 7: Jay Well elated. I mean, Colonnie's the best guy in
the world to work for. He's super fair, he loves us,
he's passionate about by BYU's lucky to have him. And
I mean, I couldn't say enough great things about just
Byu administration getting this done and Kilani being here is
a huge.
Speaker 1: Deal, huge deal, big deal, no doubt about it, no way,
if sands or but is the best coach in the
country to work for. I agree with that. Like everything
that I've heard, every coach likes to coach under Killane.
Why is that? Well, he allows you to operate within
your position group, operate within your offense or a defense
and responsibilities. He's not gonna micromanage it. Does anyone do
you guys like to be micromanager? Brett do you enjoy it?
Speaker 3: Ronald? Do you like to be micromanaged? No?
Speaker 7: I don't know.
Speaker 1: No one likes to be micromanaged, you know, but that
being said, was Nick Saban a micromanager?
Speaker 3: Yes? Is he the greatest coach all time? You know?
Speaker 1: So, like there's many different ways to lead, is what
I'm getting at, but one some are more enjoyable than
the other. You have to be a self starter if
you're being if you coach under Killane, if you're not
a self starter, you may fall short a little bit, right,
You're gonna fall short in your position, group, in recruiting,
in execution, or in your coordinating duties.
Speaker 3: So you gotta be a self starter.
Speaker 1: Saban's gonna make sure he gets the guys in there,
and he's gonna he's gonna be managing you day in
and day out. And like I said, there's pros and gud.
I think Levell was more of a master delegator similar
similar to that of Kilani and Kilanieh.
Speaker 3: Is the Polynesian level this extension or he will be?
Does that make sense? Yeah?
Speaker 1: So I'm just kind of taking all that into account.
You're looking, you're looking pension.
Speaker 3: Well, I have a it may be something on the Kyle.
Speaker 5: Whittingham situation, which I know is not necessarily what we're
talking about right, let me independent research.
Speaker 3: I see.
Speaker 5: I always say nothing means everything, but everything means something.
There is right now a little bit of discourse on
the internet as to whether or not Kyle Whittingham is
retiring or.
Speaker 3: Whether or not he is stepping down.
Speaker 5: So Chris Vanini just retweet just posted saying Chris Camerani,
who is another reporter at The Athletic, reports the sixty
six year old Whittingham is not retiring and could still
seek other coaching opportunities. If you go to the article
by Camaranni and Stuartman What of the Athletic, The article
says again Whittingham, sixty six, is not retiring, according to
a source close to the coach, and may pursue other
coaching opportunities. So it sounds like, and this is from
the guys at the Athletic, Chris Vanini is reputable.
Speaker 3: Screenshot that and tweet that out. That's interesting, so.
Speaker 5: Really interesting stuff, which I'm not gonna lie to you.
When I read and it said stepping down, I was like,
that's an interesting choice of words when we're all assuming
it's retiring.
Speaker 3: And again, it could have just been a choice.
Speaker 5: Uh, it could have just been that he didn't use
those words, but he could have. But when you now
everyone at least the the athletic is saying those words.
Speaker 3: Chosen very carefully.
Speaker 5: Step down as opposed to retire now then ding ding
Ding again conspiracy theorist number one here at ESPN the fan.
I look, Michigan is looking for a lot of people,
and they're gonna have to pry someone's They're gonna have
to pry Kalin to borof Alabama, they're whoever you Because
it's Michigan. You don't go higher the up and coming guy.
You go get the guy. Kyle Whittingham is a youth
throw and through. He's a Utah guy through and through.
But he's Michigan enough to make Kyle Whittingham say, hey,
just come give it a couple more years here until
we can get the next great guy, and then you
can walk out. And then you know what, Kyle, if
you come to Michigan, you may go down as not
just one of the Big twelve PAC twelve greatest coaches
of all time, you'll get national recognition for being one.
Speaker 3: Of the greatest coaches of all time. Oh my goodness,
gracious you wonder I don't know, man, that's that's pretty crazy.
Speaker 1: Can you can give me nothing, but it could be something,
could be something, something to keep an eye on. A
couple last soundbites before we call it a segment. Personal question,
Do you ever want to be a head coach again?
Speaker 3: Jay Hill? Sure?
Speaker 7: I mean that always is intriguing, but that you just
never know to be where your feet are? And yeah,
I mean that's a hard question because yes, but yes,
but no, I mean I love where I'm at, and
it would have to be something that everyone said, Okay,
I get that, and it would have to be a
great situation for family and everybody.
Speaker 3: So okay, so what does that mean, guys? He said?
The first thing he said is let's listen to it again. Okay,
listen to it. It's entirely okay. So do you ever
want to be a head coach again? J? Hill?
Speaker 7: Sure? I mean that always is intriguing, but that you
just never know. You got to be where your feet are.
And yeah, I mean that's a hard question because yes,
but yes, but no, I mean I love where I'm
at and it would have to be something that everyone said, Okay,
I get that, and it would have to be a
great situation for family, and everybody.
Speaker 1: So okay, so of course, for sure, but you have
to be where your feet are, he says, I really
like where I'm at. It would have to be a
really good situation for me and my family. I think
this means. This is how I interpret it. Okay, I'll
I'll give it to you like this. I think he's happy.
I think he's being taken care of. I think he
gets to focus on football, and I think he has
jurisdiction over his defense, and to a certain extent, he
probably you know, some of the special teams unit stuff
and recruiting and stuff like that. He gets to focus
on football, doesn't have to worry about the heads coach stuff.
But he is also put into a position where he's
being interviewed by media and he's being put on a pedestal.
And the fans love him, right, the ad loves them.
Everyone loves Jay Hill, right. He's he's definitely the popular
kid on campus, popular coach on campus.
Speaker 3: Would you agree with that?
Speaker 7: Yeah?
Speaker 1: Okay, that being said, like, I don't think he's gonna
take any old head coaching job. I don't think he
wants to go even outside of the state. I think
it would have to be Utah or BYU. That's what
I think. And he's not up yet for that Utah
head coaching job. He's still very young, right, Jay Hill?
How old is Jays?
Speaker 3: He fifty yet?
Speaker 1: I don't think he's even fifty born in nineteen seventy five.
So he's getting he's getting up there, but he's still
young man. He's got all matter of vigor and vim
fifteen years old. He's fifty, okay, So where would coach?
He's got what you got ten to fifteen more years
at most, Kyle? Would he have sixty six? He just
may have retired. Who's the oldest coach in college football
right now?
Speaker 3: I think once you get.
Speaker 1: Into retirement age, he's got ten to fifty more years.
Where do you Where would he want to go as
a head coach? It has to be regional. I don't
think he's going to take his his family to the
East coast. I don't think he's going to take his family.
I mean maybe as far as the Midwest, but he's
gonna stay West coast. So what team? What situation that
you're looking on this map? He would say this is
the place, this is where I want to be. What
do you think Ronald the three man Weaver.
Speaker 6: I don't know necessarily about college. Some people may think
this is crazy.
Speaker 4: He look been at the end of the day. He's
at the end of the line anyway, he's close to retirement.
What if he just takes an NFL head coaching and
not a head coaching job. But what if he decides
to take a coaching job in the NFLK.
Speaker 1: We're talking about head coach. He's a head coach, He's
been a head coach. He likes to operate, he likes
to have, you know, jurisdiction.
Speaker 6: I mean, is he gonna go to Michigan though?
Speaker 4: Like that's the thing about it, Like the jobs that
are available, Like I don't think exactly.
Speaker 6: So it's like, so what job would he take then?
Speaker 4: Like that's like it's limited opportunity, Like you're not going
to take a down a pay integradeing with Utah in
the momentum that they had. So that's why I'm saying
NFL because I don't think there might be a job
maybe at the college level, unless he's gonna, you know,
take a oc DC job or be an.
Speaker 6: Analyst somewhere else. And if not, why wouldn't you just
stay with Utah.
Speaker 1: So you know what's interesting is like you wonder if
he got a call for like the Iowa State job.
Matt Campbell goes to Penn State and it's like, hey,
did he get a call? And he's like, no, I'm good.
Like let's say he got a call and he's like.
Speaker 3: No, I'm good.
Speaker 1: Okay, Well obviously that I always stay that's a good job, right,
it's a pretty good job in Oklahoma. Maybe he got
a call from Oklahoma State. No, I'm good. So we know,
let's just say that he got a call and he
didn't even want to get in because he's like, no,
I'm not gonna take my family there, you know what
I mean? Like, Okay, then it has to be more
West Coast is what I'm getting at, and it may
not be a.
Speaker 3: Big twelve kind of like.
Speaker 1: Truck stop conference type of type of head coaching job.
Speaker 3: Does that make sense? Yeah, no, I get it.
Speaker 6: If he can't get a.
Speaker 5: Meat, I think some people are going to mistake his
stuttering and lack of shorty in that question as Oh,
he's going somewhere.
Speaker 3: Here's what I think.
Speaker 5: I think Jay Hill's a smart guy who understands that
social media is a real thing that fans will run
with anything, and sometimes by trying to not say the
wrong thing, you maybe don't answer the question as clear
as you can, and then people take that for a
whole other answer. I don't think Jay was like, well,
I know I'm getting interviewed somewhere right now, so I'm
just not gonna say anything, But what do I say?
Speaker 3: I don't think that's what it was.
Speaker 5: I think he just wanted to say the right thing
because he's in a situation where he loves where he is,
he loves by you, and he doesn't want people.
Speaker 3: To take his comments as oh, well, Jay Hill wants
to leave. He doesn't want to leave.
Speaker 5: But also, everyone working everywhere in America right now wants
to be promoted. They all want to move on to
whatever the promotion is at your company, your job, whatever it.
Speaker 3: Is, and that's not evil to want that thing.
Speaker 5: So I think Jay Hill was just answering the questions
strategically because it's this human being who does want to
move up, but he also loves where he currently is
right now, So.
Speaker 6: Big question for you.
Speaker 4: Then, Morgan Scalley becomes the head coach DC job is available,
what if UTAs willing to pay you more than what B.
Speaker 3: WHYU is paying you? You know, we want to give
you four million.
Speaker 6: One hundred percent B? Why you might not compete?
Speaker 3: Well? What about that too?
Speaker 1: Does he want to be the DC for Morgan Scalley?
That's the question how I would view it. I don't
think he's got a bad relationship with Morgan. I think
if I'm looking at it from a timeline standpoint, Kyle
Whittingham was the the defensive coordinator and head coach at
at at Utah Excuse me?
Speaker 3: Who did he.
Speaker 1: Elevate to d C first? Well, when he got the
head coaching jo Gary Anderson? Gary Anderson then took the
job at Utah State. Who did he elevate after that?
Kilanie Satake? Who did he elevate after Kilani? When Kilani
left two Oregon State with Gary? After Gary was at
Wisconsin and then went over to Oregon State, John peas
for a year in twenty fifteen. By twenty fourteen, under
twenty fourteen, j Hill had been passed up as the
DC and he so he went to Weber State instead. Right,
he went to Weaver State and became the head coach there.
Maybe he was never going to be that DC there
at Utah. Morgan Scalley got the DC job after Peace,
So if he had wanted to, like if Kyle wanted
Ja to be the DC and pay him a pretty
penny with Power five money at the time packed twelve money,
he would have gone out and got.
Speaker 3: Jay to be the DC.
Speaker 1: So it kind of seems like Kyle chose Morgan, chose Kilani,
chose these other guys, right Yeah, And it's like, hey,
like I don't know if I I don't know if
he'd want to.
Speaker 3: Work under Morgan, is what I'm getting at.
Speaker 1: That's fair because they're they're like contemporaries, even though even
though Kilanie was also contemporary, but like Kilanie was, you know,
I feel like Jay's being very altruistic and genuinely He's like,
no one's better to work for than Kilanie, Like I
love Kilanie. So I'm taking him at his word there.
I think he I think he would rather work for
Kilanie than Morgan, agreeing with a pay raise. That's how
I view it. Nothing against Morgan, nothing against the youths.
That's his alma mater, and I'm sure he'd love to
go back and bring them, you know, glory and victory.
Speaker 3: But he also is going to be able to see
the trends.
Speaker 1: Does he see b YU trending in the right direction
or U tah trending in the right direction. They're both
trending in the right direction. In my opinion, it's just
which one's trending in a more positive way. Yep, So
interesting commentary there. Uh, let's go with the one last one.
How as far as looking back at Texas Tech, did
you just burn the tape and move on or did
you guys actually evaluate it?
Speaker 7: Okay, so there's a lot to learn from that tape,
so you got to look at it. You gotta be
humble enough to say, Okay, where can we get better?
But do we want to dwell on something like that?
Speaker 3: No?
Speaker 7: Give Texas Tech tons of credit. They're a great football team.
They outplayed us both times we played this year, and
we got to give those guys credit. But we're still
a top twelve team in the country. In my opinion.
We played very good all year. We did not do
the things in those two games that you have to
do to win, and that's when the turnover margin, when
the average starting field position bottom line with the short
fields and us not getting turnovers in those two games.
That hurt us, and the defense was just as much
a part of anything in those two games as anybody
because we got to create short fields, we got to
get turnovers, we got to get off the field. We
got to do the things we need to do to win.
And if that means holding teams the one hundred yards
or two hundred yards, that's what you got do.
Speaker 3: There you go.
Speaker 1: That's Jay Hill discussing the uh the the.
Speaker 3: Tape, the Texas Tech tape.
Speaker 1: Real quick, it's it's a buzz right now. Everyone's talking
about Kyle Whittingham not retiring. He's going to continue to coach,
at least evaluating we do. He have his sixty six
and he's not retire, according to a source close to
the coach, and may pursue other coaching opportunities.
Speaker 3: We'll come back.
Speaker 1: What other head coaching opportunities does he want, does he need?
Speaker 3: Is he looking for?
Speaker 1: And we'll get into some some of our interviews as well.
Don't go anywhere, Cougarnation. That was a little bit of
reading between the lines, a little reading between the lines
here on your Utah ESPN Radio Network with Jay Hill.
Great commentary from Jay and definitely he gave us a
few things to talk about here on your Utah ESPN
Radio network. So we'll take a brief time out. Want
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