1. Andy Ludwig:
Personal friend from their Idaho State days but also a GA for Utah in 1992, on top of playing for Snow and being born in Ogden.
2. Dave Schramm:
Ludwig bolts at the first sign of real significant success - going to Kansas State before reversing course and going to coach Cal. Whitt promotes Dave Schramm, who had been Utah's running backs coach since Whitt took over in 2005.
3. Aaron Roderick:
Whitt, not satisfied with Schramm, semi-demotes him by elevating Roderick as co-offensive coordinator. Roderick played for BYU in the 90s, as well as coached there as a GA, before becoming Utah's receivers coach in 2005. After the 2010 season, both Schramm and Roderick are demoted to their old positions.
4. Norm Chow:
Since the offense finished with a thud in 2010, and the Utes being elevated to the Pac-12, Whitt brought in Norm Chow. Chow, of course, played for Utah but maybe most famously, coached BYU's high-scoring offense for multiple years under the legendary LaVell Edwards (as well as USC's.
5. Brian Johnson:
Chow lasts one season before bolting to become the head coach of Hawaii. Whitt takes a gamble and promotes Brian Johnson, the former QB at Utah. Johnson had very little coaching experience, having been Utah's QB coach in 2010 and 2011.
6. Dennis Erickson:
After one season, Johnson gets the Schramm treatment and Whitt brings in Dennis Erickson as co-offensive coordinator. Interestingly, this is the first OC hire at Utah where the coach has ZERO ties to Utah.
7. Dave Christensen:
The musical chairs continue - but Whitt again brings in an outside voice, this time Christensen as OC for the 2014 season. Fault Christensen all you want, but Utah turns a corner in 2014 after two-straight losing seasons (which leads to the firing of Johnson and the reorganizing of Erickson).
8. Aaron Roderick (AGAIN!)
Christensen doesn't fail at Utah ... his offense for one season is good and the Utes won nine-games. But his abrasive approach did not sit well and he left the program on poor terms. So, of course Whitt would fall back on what's comfortable and go re-promote Aaron Roderick.
9. Troy Taylor:
Roderick actually makes it through two seasons but ultimately crashes out and is let go. Again, Whitt goes outside his comfort zone and brings in Troy Taylor, who had zero ties to Utah (or BYU for that matter). Taylor promises an innovative, high-scoring offense and, despite injuries, does deliver. In fact, Utah finally wins the Pac-12 South. But Taylor takes off after only two season to coach Sac State.
10. Andy Ludwig (AGAIN!):
So, Whitt brings in his proven buddy Ludwig, who by this point has been the OC at Cal, SDSU, Wisconsin and Vandy since leaving Utah after the 2008 season.
11. Jason Beck:
Beck played for BYU and coached for BYU.
Out of every hire Whitt has made for OC, only three: Erickson, Christensen and Taylor had zero ties to either Utah or BYU.
Ludwig, Schramm, Roderick, Chow, Johnson and now Beck ... all have had strong connections to Utah.
Whitt certainly has a type!
Personal friend from their Idaho State days but also a GA for Utah in 1992, on top of playing for Snow and being born in Ogden.
2. Dave Schramm:
Ludwig bolts at the first sign of real significant success - going to Kansas State before reversing course and going to coach Cal. Whitt promotes Dave Schramm, who had been Utah's running backs coach since Whitt took over in 2005.
3. Aaron Roderick:
Whitt, not satisfied with Schramm, semi-demotes him by elevating Roderick as co-offensive coordinator. Roderick played for BYU in the 90s, as well as coached there as a GA, before becoming Utah's receivers coach in 2005. After the 2010 season, both Schramm and Roderick are demoted to their old positions.
4. Norm Chow:
Since the offense finished with a thud in 2010, and the Utes being elevated to the Pac-12, Whitt brought in Norm Chow. Chow, of course, played for Utah but maybe most famously, coached BYU's high-scoring offense for multiple years under the legendary LaVell Edwards (as well as USC's.
5. Brian Johnson:
Chow lasts one season before bolting to become the head coach of Hawaii. Whitt takes a gamble and promotes Brian Johnson, the former QB at Utah. Johnson had very little coaching experience, having been Utah's QB coach in 2010 and 2011.
6. Dennis Erickson:
After one season, Johnson gets the Schramm treatment and Whitt brings in Dennis Erickson as co-offensive coordinator. Interestingly, this is the first OC hire at Utah where the coach has ZERO ties to Utah.
7. Dave Christensen:
The musical chairs continue - but Whitt again brings in an outside voice, this time Christensen as OC for the 2014 season. Fault Christensen all you want, but Utah turns a corner in 2014 after two-straight losing seasons (which leads to the firing of Johnson and the reorganizing of Erickson).
8. Aaron Roderick (AGAIN!)
Christensen doesn't fail at Utah ... his offense for one season is good and the Utes won nine-games. But his abrasive approach did not sit well and he left the program on poor terms. So, of course Whitt would fall back on what's comfortable and go re-promote Aaron Roderick.
9. Troy Taylor:
Roderick actually makes it through two seasons but ultimately crashes out and is let go. Again, Whitt goes outside his comfort zone and brings in Troy Taylor, who had zero ties to Utah (or BYU for that matter). Taylor promises an innovative, high-scoring offense and, despite injuries, does deliver. In fact, Utah finally wins the Pac-12 South. But Taylor takes off after only two season to coach Sac State.
10. Andy Ludwig (AGAIN!):
So, Whitt brings in his proven buddy Ludwig, who by this point has been the OC at Cal, SDSU, Wisconsin and Vandy since leaving Utah after the 2008 season.
11. Jason Beck:
Beck played for BYU and coached for BYU.
Out of every hire Whitt has made for OC, only three: Erickson, Christensen and Taylor had zero ties to either Utah or BYU.
Ludwig, Schramm, Roderick, Chow, Johnson and now Beck ... all have had strong connections to Utah.
Whitt certainly has a type!
