Whittingham Named to Dodd Trophy, Bear Bryant Award Watch Lists
Oct 20, 2022, 2:39 PM
Head coach Kyle Whittingham (L) hands the championship trophy to wide receiver Britain Covey #18 as they celebrate the team's 38-10 victory over the Oregon Ducks to win the Pac-12 Conference championship game at Allegiant Stadium on December 3, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY-Ā Move over Dalton Kincaid, Cam Rising, and Clark Phillips III. It’s Coach’s turn to be recognized. Thursday afternoon, Utah Athletics announced head football coach Kyle Whittingham has been named to the Dodd Trophy and Bear Bryant Award midseason watch lists after taking down USC at home last weekend.
Midseason honors for @UtahCoachWhitt šhttps://t.co/L5ASdgqNpp pic.twitter.com/9G2QQpaBf7
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) October 20, 2022
Whittingham has been a staple of Utah football since 1994 as both an assistant coach and now as the head coach. As the head coach of the Utes, Whittingham is the longest tenured Pac-12 football coach and second-longest tenured coach in all of FBS at 18 seasons (28 total years at Utah total).
Whittingham And The Utes
Whittingham is the winningest head football coach in Utah football history, surpassing Ike Armstrong who held the title for 72 years last season. Whittingham’s record currently sits at 149-72 and counting. He is has also contributed to more Utah football wins than any coach over his 28-year career with the Utes at 234.
Since moving to the Pac-12 Whittingham has been named Pac-12 Coach of the Year twice (2019, 2021) while helping the Utes to earn four Pac-12 South Titles- three outright and one shared (2015, 2018, 2019, 2021), as well as leading the charge on Utah’s first ever Pac-12 Title and Rose Bowl appearance since joining the league (2021).
On top of all of that, Whittingham has had six teams finish in the Top 25 of the College Football Playoff Poll and AP Poll (2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021). Additionally, he’s had seven Top 25 finishes with the Coaches Poll.
Whittingham has been a part of some of Utah football’s most important seasons including the 1994 Freedom Bowl team, the undefeated 2004 Fiesta Bowl team and undefeated 2008 Sugar Bowl team. However, Whittingham’s crowning glory in a long list of incredible accomplishments will most likely always be the 2021 Pac-12 Title and Rose Bowl team that came on the heels of Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe’s deaths just nine months apart.
Utah is off to another good start in 2022 sitting at 5-2 in the first seven games of the season. The 2022 Utes currently lead the Pac-12 in defensive touchdowns, passing yards allowed, tackles for loss allowed, and time of possession.
Nationally, Utah ranks seventh in sacks allowed per game (.71), second for tackles for loss allowed (3.14) while also in the top-25 in total offense (472.7 yards per game) and scoring offense (40.7 points per game).
Up next the Utes will take on Washington State in Pullman next Thursday after their BYE week.
