Kyle Whittingham effectively sets retirement date for Utah

It is all about the Utes for Kyle Whittingham. Even though he may be an alum of major in-state rival BYU, Whittingham is a college football legend in the state of Utah. Taking over for Urban Meyer in 2005, Whittingham has won over 160 games, three conference championships and five 10-win seasons. He is a College Football Hall of Fame head coach if I have ever seen one. It may end soon...

While speaking to the media at Big 12 Media Days at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Whittingham casually mentioned that the Utes will be playing the Miami Hurricanes at this venue in 2027, and that he is not going to be the head coach by then. Whittingham has earned the right to go out on his own terms. He is not getting fired, or taking another job. The man is retiring. He is turning 65 in November.

This statement caught many of us off-guard. It would be getting more headway in Big 12 country if not for Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy putting his foot in his mouth over Ollie Gordon II's DUI arrest. Whittingham has been a Utah institution to Jerry Sloan on the hardwood and LaVell Edwards at his alma mater over in Provo. So will it be one, two or three more years for Whittingham?

Here is Whittingham saying that "[he] probably won't be sitting here in this chair" for Utah vs. Miami.

Utah is on the shortlist of teams who can win the Big 12 and make the College Football Playoff.

Kyle Whittingham may not be long for Utah, slated to retire soon

The Big 12 may be wide open this year, but I would firmly say that Utah will be no worse than a top-four finisher in its new league. I feel similarly about Chris Klieman's Kansas State Wildcats, which is why they are my two picks to play for their first-ever trip to the College Football Playoff as a top-four seed. Cam Rising is back for another season, but like Whittingham, the dude is really getting up there.

From there, you really have to wonder when Whittingham is going to call it quits. A lot of people retire when they are 65. My mom did that. Whittingham turns 65 later this season. A lot of people retire when they are 67. My dad did that. Whittingham will be turning 67 near the end of the 2026 season. Do you see what I am getting at? He has this year, and maybe two more after that if he wants. That's it.

For my money, I think it serves Utah to promote from within. They did that with Whittingham moving up from defensive coordinator when Meyer left for Florida. As I see it, the Utes have two fantastic candidates in-house in offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig and defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley. Ludwig has been around the block a bit more, but Scalley only knows Utah Utes football.

Now matter what happens, Whittingham deserves all the accolades he gets for the two-decade run he had at Utah. While other hall-of-fame coaches stay at lesser jobs out of fear, this wasn't the case with Whittingham. He made you fear Utah. When you play the Utes, you're getting punched in the face with a brash brand of physicality at altitude. It is the best program that hasn't made the playoff yet.

Although I think the odds are against him to ever win a national title at Utah, there are two more boxes to be checked before he sails off into the sunset: Win the Big 12 and make the College Football Playoff. To win three different conferences in Utah's rise to ascension would be extraordinary. With the playoff expanding from four to 12 teams, Whittingham deserves to go to the big dance one time.

I don't know if the Big 12 gets two teams in this year, but that would absolutely serve Utah for sure.