Utah Football Head Coach Kyle Whittingham | 2024 Big12 Football Media Days

all right coach you'll have an opening remark then we'll take questions again raise your hand we'll get a handheld microphone to you please state your name and affiliation when posing the question go ahead coach all right uh University of Utah is very excited to be uh be a member of the Big 12 um very good football conference a lot of good teams good coaches good players uh new challenge for us new opportunities for us um and we're definitely excited about the uh the new playoff format and the opportunity to uh make the playoffs on your own Merit not have to be voted by a committee to to get into that exclusive Club um got a good football team coming back uh got a lot going for us uh starts with our quarterback cam Rising uh we missed him last year obviously but uh he's back and ready to go you know barring any unforeseen setbacks uh getting brand keithy back who we're missing last year as well is going to be a big plus for us so uh we feel like we've got a a lot going for us on the offensive side of the ball offensive line is solid tight end room is is uh maybe as as good as it's ever been at Utah since I've been there and added some real weapons on the outside a receiver uh defensively we should be solid uh we've played good defense for a lot of years at Utah that's been our calling card I don't expect that to be any different this year but bottom line we're we're ecstatic to be uh in the Big 12 and uh can't wait to get going and and uh this signifies that The Season's right around the corner when you get media days although we're the First Media days out of the gate I realize that so there's still a little bit of time time but but uh it means that uh football is not far away so questions we'll go here front row on the left side right in the middle yeah coach Whittingham Michael Caro sideline Sports just talking about that obviously coming in the Big 12 not too far in the past you came into the Pack 12 pack 10 making into the Pack 12 what do you take from that and like you said I mean obviously the maps changed but what do you just take from that coming in the Pack 12 now taking that into the Big 12 yeah it's a transition we have made before although uh when we went to the Big 12 or the Pack 12 we were at G5 school trying to come up a level which uh there was a little bit of a a curve there that we had to endure uh this is actually the fourth conference I've been in since been at Utah we were in the The Wack and the Mountain West and the back 12 now the Big 12 so nothing new uh for me personally as far as changing leagues but but uh we feel like we've got a roster that's equipped to compete right away obviously I guess the media feels the same way being being picked as the f and I think that's a a show of respect to our players and coaches that have done a great job competing through the years that that the media has uh selected as number one but uh in the final analysis that doesn't mean anything obviously you got to play the games and our players are fully aware of that but but again it's a nice show of respect for our program uh from the media okay we'll stay on the left side fifth row on the far left hey Kyle Jen and Carlson with beyond the box score two questions you open Big 12 play in Stillwater what what are your expectations of going there and playing the Cowboys and second with Oklahoma State's head coach and you both being so long tenured I'm just curious if you could reflect a little bit on and what you think in your mind helped you to be at Utah as long as you've been okay well first of all uh that is our conference opener now we do play Baylor in week two but it's not a conference game and so uh the first official Big 12 game will be against Oklahoma State uh coach Gundy has done a terrific job there um you know just competitive every single year uh Fields quality football teams they're tough they're physical uh reminds me a lot of us I mean I think there's a lot of parallels between the two programs uh myself and Coach Gundy are just I think weeks apart from when we took over these programs and so we both have have U Been uh anomalies I guess you could say in our own respect but but uh should be a hardfought game uh never been to still water so it'll be a new experience for myself I'm sure uh very few if any of our players have been there but but uh we'll find out right away where we stand they're they're a very good football team and and uh looking forward to that opportunity um okay I'm 64 years old so I lost my train of thought what was your second part of the question longevity okay what do I attribute that to uh in a word recruiting you if you recruit the right players and and uh get the right players in your program that fit into your culture fit into what you're doing then you got a chance and our assistant coaches have done a a phenomenal job of identifying those players they're the guys on the front lines uh making decisions and judgments on who we should recruit and bring into the program and really the key to me having any success there my longevity at Utah is due to our assistant coaches and the recruiting that they've done and the culture that we've built there we'll go second row on the right hand side here in the middle coach L Herring to stay alive in power five how you doing today good thank you all right I'm doing all right to to follow up on you know your longevity answer I mean being one of the longest 10year coaches in the entire country and now with the game changing evolving with the nil transfer portal and recruiting becoming even more challenging and kind of Le trending towards paying the players what can you say is some of your strengths and how you plan on making an impact in this new conference and as the game evolves yeah well first of all it's not trending towards paying players we are paying players that's that's in place uh and I'm been in this profession a long time and you talk about just what four or five years ago we couldn't even give them a ride to their dormatory or a slice of pizza to to what's going on now it's incredible um and there's more change to come we're not done yet I promise you that not by a long shot there's there's big changes on the horizon but but uh the bottom line is it doesn't matter whether you love nil transfer portal hate it it doesn't matter you got to embrace it because if you don't if you don't adapt and and uh update with the times you're going to get left behind and you're going to be you're going to be uh eliminated and so uh I think our program has done a a very good job of of embracing the changes I think we've had really good uh portal success as far as you know if you look at who we've lost and who we've gained our net result is very good in that regard um our nil we're competitive right now in that space there's always always trying to get more uh resources but but uh the bottom line is like I said you have to adapt you have to change with the times otherwise uh you're not going to be able to compete okay we'll go to the left side fourth row right in the middle hi Kyle Dennis do CBS Sports you mentioned the the four conferences you've been in what does it say to the way you guys play that you've dictated some of the things that have gone on and been successful instead of the com you happen to get used to the conference yeah well first of all physicality is always a good thing in football and that's that's our calling card we we pride ourselves on being a physical football team uh year in and year out uh defensively we've been we've been very consistent uh and if you're good on defense you're going to be in every game every week and so it's uh you know it's something that that uh our philosophy our culture uh I think uh stands the test of time and obviously we've got good players and that's that's where it starts as I mentioned and I've said several times 80% of your success in college football or lack thereof is tied directly to recruiting and if you can't recruit the right way then then you're going to struggle but uh we feel like we've got a good roster right now 1 through 85 and uh ready to compete in this league and and I think you know it's a really good League I mean yeah we're picked number one but in my estimation there's eight or nine teams that that could win this thing and just we'll have to see how things unfold okay we'll stay on the left side about halfway back in the middle hey coach Dana green with ABC 4 uh entering your 20th season they've already named Morgan scall the coach in Waiting do you have any idea when that's going to happen do you think about that and what kind of hands is the program going to be in once uh coach scall takes over well first of all uh Morgan scall is an exceptional football coach he's uh he's a proven commodity uh he's a Utah guy played high school ball in the state of Utah played at Utah jumped right into coaching at the University of Utah when he was done playing so he's invested in this program as much as anybody ever has been uh he's uh you know a guy that uh knows our culture inside and out and to me it's very comforting for when that transition time does occur and it's time for new leadership to have a guy that's going to be able to carry on the the values and the and the cultures that we've put in place now that's not to say he won't put his own stamp on it because I fully expect that and but um I believe that uh he's the right choice now we have a lot of good coaches on our staff guys that are going to be head coaches in the near future that are deserving as well but but for this program at this time Morgan's the right fit uh as to when that happens that's great question I take it day by day I'm I'm as excited and enthused about the season as I've ever been a lot of that is the uh the excitement about going into a new conference the new challenge the new opportunity but uh it's just going to be a day-by-day process and and I'm not getting any younger but but at the same time I feel like I've got a lot of energy right now we'll go to the right side halfway back right in the middle hey coach uh Joe Kohl's of the desert news how do you feel like your program fits stylistically in the Big 12 I think we're a good fit uh you know there's not a a ton of difference between the Big 12 and the and the Pack 12 in fact there's not a ton of difference among all the power five conferences I mean there is subtle differences some teams are more committed to running the football but but overall uh you know you got to block you got to tackle you got to shed blocks I mean there's there's so much to football that that uh is not scheme oriented that are really the keys to success or the lack of success and so I think that uh you know we're going to be able to make that transition I don't think there's going to be any uh you know there's nobody running the wishbone or anything like that in the in the conference so so it's uh predominantly a spread League which like I said every conference is the same in that regard and so uh do have some new venues that we're going to play in new teams places we've never been but that cuts both ways there's a lot of teams that coming into R EES that have never been there so don't foresee that as advantage or disadvantage just just different circumstances uh we know we're going to travel TR about 40% more in this league than we did in the pack but but uh that's just part of the deal and and uh again should be a non-factor okay we'll stay on the right side that same aisle all the way to the right on the aisle on the end Coach Paul Ratt the fan Sports network uh St George's Utah and I would just wanted to ask you uh with the lack of a downfield passing game last year one of your biggest portal editions was Dorian singer how is he fitting in with the offense and how is his chemistry with Cam Dorian has been a great fit he had a terrific spring uh very easy to to understand how he was able to you know have over a thousand receiving yards at Arizona a couple years ago B what he did in Spring was was uh impressive uh we also added Damen Alford uh who's A from Syracuse who's going to be a good addition for us on the outside although he was not available for Us in Spring but uh we feel we've really helped oursel on the outside and having cam Rising back that's the biggest U factor for us this season is to have Cam back at quarterback uh he's the alpha dog of the football team uh the unquestioned leader and uh we got to keep him upright this year we keep him upright we got a really good chance okay we'll go left side uh fourth row right in the middle BR o Bay Playmakers KU you kind of just answer what I was going to ask but cam Rising when you think of Utah football in the past few years it's hard not to think about him so what can we expect to see from him this year and how is his overall health his overall health is uh as good as it could be right now that you know barring unforeseen setbacks or or something that uh you know just pops up we feel like he's going to be uh absolutely ready to roll he took every rep in Spring although we didn't he didn't get hit which uh you know obviously they're not going to not going to hit him in Spring ball but but he's ready to rock he's you know the last two years that he's been on the field he's thrown for what 6,000 yards or close to that uh he he immediately makes us better and cam cam has that it Factor as much as he does for us in his play it's his leadership that uh really is probably the most valuable asset that he brings to the football team he's he's one of those guys that is able to make everybody around him better and that's really what what a great player does is he makes his Supporting Cast play better okay we'll go the right side uh fourth row hi coach Taylor seski with Buffs beat Sports illustrating following up on the cam question what does this mean for his team around him just to have him back on the field it's a whole different feel when he's in the Huddle and uh you know at the quarterback position uh there is no doubt of who's in charge uh he's got the respect of every single one of his teammates they believe in him uh they're confident in Cam and uh you know it's just uh The Moxy and the and the field General mentality that he that exudes from him is is contagious and uh you know you just you just it's like I said the it factor that you can't coach you can't teach you either have it or you don't and cam has it in Spades we'll stay right here on the right side front row hey coach uh wanted to ask you just about uh Brandon roseen Isaac Wilson what have you seen out of those two um and the confidence that you have in those two uh as part of being part of this team well a great deal of confidence we just got Isaac in the program in January he was an early graduate from high school uh and relative to that situation we thought he had a phenomenal spring especially the second half it was a little bit uh uh just lacking a little bit of timing and a little bit of Rhythm early in Spring ball but as he settled in and got more comfortable in the offense uh by about midpoint in the uh in Spring he was really playing good football had an outstanding spring game uh the culmination of Spring ball so we think he's got a great future uh Brandon Rose third year in the program uh big arm uh good mobility and uh he is to the point he probably would have been a factor for us last year but he had a an injury they kept him out six to eight weeks I can't remember exactly the the time frame but uh that really set him back he was never really able to recover from that but that's all behind him now and both him and uh Isaac had terrific Springs and then you add Sam Huard to that mix who's gonna who's here now and we'll be competing in Fall Camp to to see where he fits in the pecking order stay right here in the front R Kenneth Barry touchdowns and tangents Coach you've pretty much dominated every conference you've you've coached in where you know division championships titles and all that but especially for this senior class how much does it kind of weigh on them knowing you know they they haven't managed to put it all together to get the bowl win that they're looking for and how much does it kind of fire up your team and especially cam in the senior class to go out not only with the division championship but actually you know conference title but actually you know win your ball game yeah it's uh been to the Rose Bowl a couple times and you know played some really good football teams Ohio State Penn State uh came up short in those games um which is disappointing we've traditionally been a very good Bowl team and have had a good run but but uh that obviously is has uh you know been a downer than last year right here in Las Vegas where you came out on the wrong end with Northwestern who played a really good football game against us but but this uh move to this conference for the seniors in particular has really got them excited uh they're looking forward to the challenge they're looking forward to being able to control their own destiny as far as being able to get to the playoffs now whereas before we had to rely on outside help like I mentioned now it's all in our hands and that's something that they uh means a great deal to them and and uh if you just by looking at them in their workouts this summer and what they're doing this is a focused football team that uh really has their sight set on some high goals okay we'll take two more questions we'll take one over here on the left side in the middle about five rows back and the last one will come over here on the right hey coach Scott PR over here to your left Scott PR out the Colorado went here as one of the few Big 12 teams to have played Colorado last year what were your impressions of of that game I know it was a bit different you both kind of started back up quarterback so what are your impressions of that game uh coach Prime's first year at Colorado what do you envision kind of that matchup to be like later this this year in both yeah well first of all coach Sanders has done a great job in you know infusing excitement uh into that program and talent uh you know his his own sons are terrific players you know we didn't see shedar but uh he's shador excuse me but he's a obviously watching the tape he's a terrific Talent um and so they essentially he's put colado football back on the map uh year two you know I'm sure they're looking for progress you know they started off uh very strong last year uh injuries got caught caught up to them and uh didn't end the way they want I'm sure but but uh he has definitely rejuvenated things in in Boulder um last year that game yeah I think we were playing our well I don't think we were playing our fifth string quarterback and they were on their you know second or third string quarterback so so really not probably indicative of of what the game could have been like uh we were able to come away with a win but but uh we got to go to Boulder this year it's a tough place to play and and last time we were in Boulder there wasn't many people in the stands and now it's full full every week so that'll be an environment that we have not experienced there all right our final question will be right here on the right side third row right on the aisle coach Chris Matthews KV right here in Las Vegas I was just kind of wondering your footprint over here coach there you oh you're okay yeah I was just kind of wondering your footprint you mentioned the wack the Mountain West and the then the Pack 12 and playing your games here in Vegas and bowl games in Vegas yearly games back in The Wack of the Mountain West foot L what what are your thoughts of Vegas and just what it's kind of meant to your program well first of all this building's been very good to us you know we've had a chance to come down here and win a a couple of Pack 12 championship games uh obviously last year in the bowl game uh we didn't Faire so well but but Vegas has always treated us great it's it's a great uh City uh the bowl in particular is is John does a great job with the bowl and and uh the bowl experience for the players and so nothing but uh very positive um memories and and experiences here in Las Vegas and and of course this you know this is one of the best venues in the country right here this this allegian stadium and and so uh we've been opportunistic to be able to or it's been a great opportunity to be able to play here as much as we have we're going to open here in 27 against the Miami Hurricanes uh I probably won't be sitting here in this year but somebody will and and uh that's going to be a great opportunity again to come to Vegas and and play a game all right thank you for your time coach okay guys girls guys