Utah coach Kyle Whittingham sat down at the podium near the visitors locker room at Folsom Field after suffering a sixth-straight defeat and exhaled.
It was the longest losing streak in the 20-year Whittingham era — it would extend to seven before the Utes ended the 2024 season with a win at UCF — and it was taking its toll on everyone, especially the 65-year-old coach.
“It’s the most difficult year of my coaching career, hands down, not even close,” Whittingham said.
Another year of bad injury luck, especially at the quarterback position, combined with an anemic offense, spelled just the third losing season since Whittingham took over in 2005.
On the heels of a grueling season, Whittingham had a decision to make about his future.
After a little over a week of silence, Whittingham returned with a simple message.
“I’m back.”
The longtime coach returned for his 21st season in charge of Utah. After the last two seasons, the 2025 campaign is shaping up to be a critical season for Whittingham personally, and for the program as a whole.
He’s ready to lead the charge.
“I got to come back and try to get the ship right and get back on track,” Whittingham said.
How did Whittingham and the Utah football program reach this critical juncture?
2023
The 2023 season, fresh off back-to-back Pac-12 championships, began with some of the highest expectations in program history — to make the College Football Playoff.
With quarterback Cam Rising, who had led the Utes to consecutive conference titles, back again, there was reason to believe Utah had a shot to pull off the rare Pac-12 three-peat.
But Rising, who tore his ACL, meniscus, MPFL and MCL in the 2023 Rose Bowl against Penn State, would never play a snap in the 2023 season.
Whittingham kept the extent of Rising’s injury under wraps, as the will-he-won’t-he-play…
Source link : https://www.deseret.com/sports/2025/08/23/kyle-whittingham-utah-utes-critical-season-big-12/
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Publish date : 2025-08-24 03:00:00
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