Patrick Kinahan: Kyle Whittingham leaves Utah as role model for coaches

SALT LAKE CITY — As Kyle Whittingham was informally interacting with media types at a table during a lunch break at the last Pac-12 football media day, an impressionable 33-year-old stood a few feet away from the Utah coach.

Pointing down at Whittingham, who is Utah's all-time winningest coach, Kenny Dillingham succinctly stated his career goal one week away from starting his rookie season as Arizona State's head coach. "I want to be like him."

Who wouldn't he?

In 21 years as a head coach, Whittingham built a stellar program worthy of envy. From an undefeated season that culminated with win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl to two Pac-12 championships and even through three losing seasons, he never flinched.

Forget about finding controversy in a sport littered with seediness, Whittingham always stayed above the fray. Even in his departure at Utah, which may have come a bit premature, he will deflect any attention.

For a coach like Dillingham, who guided the Sun Devils to the Big 12 championship in only his second season, Whittingham has served as role model going beyond results.

In a world of coaches bolting for jobs before seasons end, he built a legacy at Utah by eschewing enticing offers to leave in the name of stability for his family and program.

"Unbelievable run," Dillingham said after a recent bowl practice. "That's a guy who does not get enough credit. Could be the best coach in this generation. Definitely top five in my mind, probably top three. He doesn't get enough credit for what he did. He did something remarkable for a long time, and I don't think he gets enough credit for really being one of the best coaches of this era.

"I can say that with a lot of confidence that from inside the industry or the people around he was one of the best coaches of this era. I don't think he gets enough flowers."

Aside from winning, Whittingham has built a host of relationships through the game that has lasted a lifetime. Friends know him as fiercely loyal and a jokester with great sense of humor, two sides the public might not see from his typical "game-face" demeanor.

Former BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe is one of those insiders, having befriended his teammate shortly after both got to BYU in 1978. Holmoe hailed from Southern California, primarily recruited by Whittingham's father, Fred, who coached BYU's linebackers.

"We kind of hit it off right away," Holmoe, who was a defensive back, said of his teammate.

The friendship stayed intact even as both became competitive adversaries through their employment at respective rival schools. In the end, the BYU vs. Utah thing, while hotly contested on the field, never got in the way.

Reciting the names of several BYU players, Holmoe said many teammates developed a soft spot for Utah during the last two decades. From a walk-on to the stars, he attributed it to Whittingham's loyalty to them.

Many friends and former players reached out over the last week since Whittingham announced his decision to step down. Among them was Holmoe, who said the two laughed during the entire conversation and never discussed football.

"He's still the same guy to me when we were 18," Holmoe said. "That's just amazing."

From the football perspective, Holmoe raved about Whittingham's uncanny ability to identify and develop talent that has led to Utah creating a pipeline to the NFL. A former coach at Cal and Stanford, Holmoe saw it firsthand when both were on the recruiting trail scoping for players.

He cited Eric Weddle as an example, noting the former longtime NFL defensive back was known to college coaches but not having the same potential as Whittingham saw. Weddle became a star at Utah playing multiple positions.

"The point I'm trying to make is one of his greatest attributes as a coach is he is a great identifier of talent," Holmoe said. "He can see things in guys that other people can't."

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