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SALT LAKE CITY — Kyle Whittingham is not the sentimental type; his job is to win football games.
So don't expect him to mourn the end of the Pac-12 era, even if Utah's inclusion in the conference helped propel the university to new heights — campus growth, increased revenue, membership into the prestigious Association of American Universities, and a whole host of other beneficial factors, to say nothing of the on-field performance.
But what a performance it's been for Utah football in the Pac-12 era.
It took a few years for Utah to acclimate to the Power Five ranks and build the necessary depth to compete on a weekly basis, but since at least 2015 the Utes have been in contention for a conference championship — and are the two-time reigning champions until Friday night when a new champion will be crowned.
It's been a good ride for Utah.
But don't let Whittingham's lack of sentimentality mask his true feelings about the eventual collapse of the 108-year-old conference. Whittingham is always looking to the future, but he admits there's a bit of sadness when he allows himself to reflect upon what the conference has done for Utah.
Just don't expect him to dwell on it too long — if much at all.
"Not one bit sentimental, not in the least," Whittingham said Saturday. "Not even now that the game is over. It is disappointing that the Pac-12 is now defunct, I guess you could say, and it's sad that that is the way that things turned out. I mean, what a run the Pac-12 was over 100 years and all the championships across them various sports.
"But everything's ruled by the almighty dollar, and that's not changing, and so that's where we're at."
The Pac-12 era in football is over and in the rearview mirror. Whittingham is already looking ahead to bowl prep — an official bowl destination will be named Sunday afternoon — and the upcoming early signing day period, as well as roster retention and maintenance.
The work never stops.
"You've just got to keep moving forward," Whittingham said. "I'm a guy that can really adapt to change just like that. I'm not a guy that thinks backwards or looks in the rearview mirror; everything's in front of me and moving forward. ... It's too bad to see it go away, but it is — nothing you can do about it. So you embrace the future and get ready for the next challenge."
It's on to the Big 12 and the challenges that a new conference will present — Whittingham's third conference and second Power Five conference in his tenure as head coach at Utah.
Will Utah be competitive in the Big 12? What will road trips to Stillwater, Oklahoma, or Morgantown, West Virginia, look like in the future? How's the level of competition and is Utah well-suited to meet the weekly demands of a newly-constructed Big 12?
They're all questions Whittingham will likely consider the day after Utah's upcoming bowl game.
Fortunately for the longtime Utes head coach, those questions will be much easier to digest with a roster that returns starting quarterback Cam Rising for a seventh season and likely a majority of its 2023 two deep, including tight end Brant Kuithe, who has yet to officially declare his intent to return, though the expectation is he'll pursue a medical redshirt for another season.
"Brant is really close to making his decision," Whittingham said. "I'm going to let him handle that how he wants. I don't want to be the the guy that speaks for Brant, but we're excited about the possibility of him coming back, and I think he'll be able to let everybody know in the not too distant future."
Throw in the potential for Cole Bishop, Jonah Elliss, Sione Vaki, Ja'Quinden Jackson, Micah Bernard, Karene Reid, and several other players on Utah's two-deep roster, coming back and Utah is well positioned for another championship run — this time in the Big 12.
It's not a guarantee — far from it — but the challenges of a new conference will soon be apparent, and Whittingham is ready to embrace the change.
