First let me start with saying that I think Whit is a fantastic coach, very underrated and most fans dont see it correctly or for that matter have any idea what they are talking about when it comes to coaching.
In the military they have a saying and a process that is up or out... we are at that place in my opinion as a program. It would be risky sure to make a head coaching change. Could we get a better coach? Honestly, probably no but maybe someone who is equal or can become equal to Whit. The real advantage would be the change. Sometimes you just need to stir things up and again Whit is not a bad coach in anyway, in fact he has been stalwart for many years, but I believe we need a change.
I do not think that with Whits longevity here and what he has meant to the program that he should be fired. In fact I really think we do two things in relation to this, but I will get to that in a moment.
Here are some reasons why I think we need the change.
1- If not now? when? - This was the year, everything was aligned and we should have won the Oregon game making the Colorado game the decider as to who moves on to the PAC Championship. Instead and for multiple years now we lose a game that we should not have lost. These loses have killed everything else.
2- Losing to Colorado - If we had won against Oregon and then lost to Colorado it would still hurt but it wouldnt be unbearable. They are ranked ahead of us, have a better record, it is at Colorado, etc... all of those things you could at least swallow. This loss you cant swallow or even tolerate in anyway, shape or form.
3- Week 11 or 12 - Every year its been the same for the most part, we lose late in the season when we should not, we lose to a team we should not! We lost to Colorado year 1, Arizona a few years ago, UCLA last year, Washington State in 13' , so on and so on... sure each game meant something different but its a pattern and it is a problem.
4- If Colorado beats us - If we lose next week this painful fact will be true. Every team in the south will have won the south and moved onto the PAC 12 Championship game but 1. I am sure I don't need to tell you who that is.
4b- Newbies in the PAC - Utah and Colorado joined the PAC as the new schools. We have been the better program period from Day 1. If Colorado wins and goes to the Championship game that in my mind is erased and the fact Utah has been the better program is forgotten. Forever!
If I was in charge this is what I would do.
#1 I would give Whit one more year, period! I would do whatever it took to bring in a experienced, innovative, creative and strong O Coord. My targets would be someone like Major Applewhite at Houston if not acutally him! I know the argument about "thats not who we are offensively" and "thats not who we will ever be with Whit as the coach," and I agree. However, you will never convince me that if we had Applewhite (for example) or someone like him, as the O Coord this year and not the two headed monster we are dealing with that we wouldnt have won both Cal and Oregon. Even if we arent running a full time big play Offense I feel that the calls would be better, the experience of that coach would be better and the down the stretch the choices they make are better.
#2 - If we do not win the South next year we make a shuffle, we slide Dr Hill into retirement, we slide Whit into the AD spot for x number of years and we hire a new coach. I dont know who, maybe Major Applewhite ? (BTW his name just came to mind to me today so just using it as an example) I really dont know who but I do know that it would tell me that we are at a ceiling with Whit (who I love dearly as out coach and always have) but he has taken us this far, much like Mack did, or other coaches at other programs. They take you as far as they can and you either become mired in the muck of that ceiling or you take a gamble and move on to see if you can break through.
We need to break through!
In the military they have a saying and a process that is up or out... we are at that place in my opinion as a program. It would be risky sure to make a head coaching change. Could we get a better coach? Honestly, probably no but maybe someone who is equal or can become equal to Whit. The real advantage would be the change. Sometimes you just need to stir things up and again Whit is not a bad coach in anyway, in fact he has been stalwart for many years, but I believe we need a change.
I do not think that with Whits longevity here and what he has meant to the program that he should be fired. In fact I really think we do two things in relation to this, but I will get to that in a moment.
Here are some reasons why I think we need the change.
1- If not now? when? - This was the year, everything was aligned and we should have won the Oregon game making the Colorado game the decider as to who moves on to the PAC Championship. Instead and for multiple years now we lose a game that we should not have lost. These loses have killed everything else.
2- Losing to Colorado - If we had won against Oregon and then lost to Colorado it would still hurt but it wouldnt be unbearable. They are ranked ahead of us, have a better record, it is at Colorado, etc... all of those things you could at least swallow. This loss you cant swallow or even tolerate in anyway, shape or form.
3- Week 11 or 12 - Every year its been the same for the most part, we lose late in the season when we should not, we lose to a team we should not! We lost to Colorado year 1, Arizona a few years ago, UCLA last year, Washington State in 13' , so on and so on... sure each game meant something different but its a pattern and it is a problem.
4- If Colorado beats us - If we lose next week this painful fact will be true. Every team in the south will have won the south and moved onto the PAC 12 Championship game but 1. I am sure I don't need to tell you who that is.
4b- Newbies in the PAC - Utah and Colorado joined the PAC as the new schools. We have been the better program period from Day 1. If Colorado wins and goes to the Championship game that in my mind is erased and the fact Utah has been the better program is forgotten. Forever!
If I was in charge this is what I would do.
#1 I would give Whit one more year, period! I would do whatever it took to bring in a experienced, innovative, creative and strong O Coord. My targets would be someone like Major Applewhite at Houston if not acutally him! I know the argument about "thats not who we are offensively" and "thats not who we will ever be with Whit as the coach," and I agree. However, you will never convince me that if we had Applewhite (for example) or someone like him, as the O Coord this year and not the two headed monster we are dealing with that we wouldnt have won both Cal and Oregon. Even if we arent running a full time big play Offense I feel that the calls would be better, the experience of that coach would be better and the down the stretch the choices they make are better.
#2 - If we do not win the South next year we make a shuffle, we slide Dr Hill into retirement, we slide Whit into the AD spot for x number of years and we hire a new coach. I dont know who, maybe Major Applewhite ? (BTW his name just came to mind to me today so just using it as an example) I really dont know who but I do know that it would tell me that we are at a ceiling with Whit (who I love dearly as out coach and always have) but he has taken us this far, much like Mack did, or other coaches at other programs. They take you as far as they can and you either become mired in the muck of that ceiling or you take a gamble and move on to see if you can break through.
We need to break through!
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