Utah @ Oregon, Sat. 11/16 @ 2pm MT, Fox Sports 1

[7StraightIsGreat]

.....And the 2 game stretch to see if Whit can save his job begins. Fellow Ute fans can tell me all they want that Whit is safe, but I feel very confident that if Utah doesn't win out and get to a bowl, Whit is done. Hell, if you can't beat Wazzu and Colorado to save your job, you should be fired.

 

[cowhide]

I'm a college football fan who is fed up with the mediocrity of the football in this state, especially at the University of Utah. BYU has the missionary program and Honor Code to deal with. Mediocrity might be their ceiling. Utah St is in Logan, plays in the Mtn West, and no longer has Anderson or Chuckie. Mediocrity should be their goal.

So what's holding Utah back?

Everyone is free to share their opinion. But the Utes aren't 6-6. And the way Wash St is playing, they won't be. If this is being "on the right track" then i rest my case, Kyle McBride... I mean Ron Whittingham... Needs to go. He got this program to compete well in the Mtn West Conference. He even won a BCS bowl! But, It is time to find a new Urban Meyer, who can take this program to the next level. It's painfully obvious that this program isn't progressing at all. I love the dude. I think he's a darn good coach for a non-BCS conference. But now, he's in his 3rd year of the big leagues and hasn't improved at all!

The mere fact that many are currently debating whether to pull the plug on Wilson and rip the red shirt off the kid tells you everything you need to know about this program.

No direction. No improvement.

Just show up, defense play well, and offense suck it up, and that's a wrap! Same story for 3+ years now!

We can keep rotating QBs and playing musical offensive coordinator. But at some point the ax has to fall on the guy who is ultimately responsible for his program, right? Why is everyone else held accountable but Whittingham?

So go ahead. Keep Kyle. And we'll hear the exact same lame *** excuses as we've heard since Brian Johnson graduated. "Well once we get an OC! Well once our QBs get healthy! Well, we will just have to recruit better!" Rinse, wash, repeat

I think Utah's problems have more to do with the move to a better conference than it does with the coach. When Utah was in the mountain west they only had a few tough opponents. Now in the the PAC12 there are only a handful of weeks off. The PAC12 might be the second toughest conference. Sometimes it is better to be the big fish in a smaller pond than just another fish in the sea.

 

[green]

.....And the 2 game stretch to see if Whit can save his job begins. Fellow Ute fans can tell me all they want that Whit is safe, but I feel very confident that if Utah doesn't win out and get to a bowl, Whit is done. Hell, if you can't beat Wazzu and Colorado to save your job, you should be fired.

This. Whitt has had a lot of bad luck this year. To lose half of your projected starting offense to injuries...rough. NOW, these last two games are games Utah can win. And with how they have played against UCLA, OSU, USC, Stanford and to some extent Oregon, he has done an ok job. BUT, here is the real test. If he hasn't lost the team through all the adversity this year, and they go out and beat WSU and Colorado, then he deserves to stay.

BUT, if Wilson isn't hurt, but has quit the team, if they go out and lose to WSU...then Whitt has lost the team. He is a GREAT coach, and whoever hires him (if it is as a HC in a non-BCS) will be winning 10+ games a year in no time or if he becomes a DC, then they will have the top defense in the country. BUT, if he has lost the team, there isn't much you can do with him here. It sucks, but it is what it is.

 

[7StraightIsGreat]

This. Whitt has had a lot of bad luck this year. To lose half of your projected starting offense to injuries...rough. NOW, these last two games are games Utah can win. And with how they have played against UCLA, OSU, USC, Stanford and to some extent Oregon, he has done an ok job. BUT, here is the real test. If he hasn't lost the team through all the adversity this year, and they go out and beat WSU and Colorado, then he deserves to stay.

BUT, if Wilson isn't hurt, but has quit the team, if they go out and lose to WSU...then Whitt has lost the team. He is a GREAT coach, and whoever hires him (if it is as a HC in a non-BCS) will be winning 10+ games a year in no time or if he becomes a DC, then they will have the top defense in the country. BUT, if he has lost the team, there isn't much you can do with him here. It sucks, but it is what it is.

Whit's luck has been crap, I'll give you that. I'm rooting as hard as I ever have for Whit to save his job. Now there's whispers that Travis Wilson might be done forever. This season couldn't get any more strange.

 

[Former Member]

Whit's luck has been crap, I'll give you that. I'm rooting as hard as I ever have for Whit to save his job. Now there's whispers that Travis Wilson might be done forever. This season couldn't get any more strange.

What's going on with Wilson? I missed the game last week.

 

[7StraightIsGreat]

What's going on with Wilson? I missed the game last week.

I guess he's got a concussion. I've heard everything from shutting him down for the rest of the year to he might shut it down for good.

This may sound horrible but I don't think Wilson is the answer. Utah might be better suited heading into spring trying to decide between Cox and Conner Manning.

 

[Duck Rodgers]

He has never been concussed before right? Just seems weird they would shut him down for that if it's strike 1. Kyle's quote was interesting though; It almost made sound like they found out dude has cancer or something. Hopefully nothing too serious, but he has had a tough year regardless. Best friend dies....all the injuries. My guess it's just the cumulative toll of all that that's the issue. Not that one particular injury is so serious.

 

[The Thriller]

Travis Wilson is quickly becoming Jordan Wynn II.

Constantly injured, mentally weak, and unable to make just basic throws.

 

[7StraightIsGreat]

Travis Wilson is quickly becoming Jordan Wynn II.

Constantly injured, mentally weak, and unable to make just basic throws.

Mentally weak is my biggest concern. As Travis' injuries progressed throughout the season, his body language in interviews was awful. Seemed like he had ZERO confidence in himself. Maybe it can be salvaged but maybe you don't have to spend time giving pep talks to Manning or Cox.

 

[green]

Mentally weak is my biggest concern. As Travis' injuries progressed throughout the season, his body language in interviews was awful. Seemed like he had ZERO confidence in himself. Maybe it can be salvaged but maybe you don't have to spend time giving pep talks to Manning or Cox.

What's crazy about Wilson, is if he is ok and healthy, he is a BEAST. We had a top 20 offense after playing Stanford, UCLA, BYU and USU. Right now, he is ranked #44 in adj QBR. Even with all his problems. And he is only a true sophomore. With proper coaching, he is a top 15 QB as a senior. BUT, you have to fix the OL first. No matter who your QB is.

 

[YB85]

Well, you guys hung for a half and overall kept it a little closer than I thought you would. Your defense in needs to have the offense sustain a drive.

fixed

 

[7StraightIsGreat]

Terrible news about Travis. Sounds like he has a pre-existing head issue that is probably gonna end his career. You gotta feel for that kid. This news really makes me back off my stance that Whit gets fired without a bowl. I know I'm flip-flopping but I think this pushes it over the edge in Whit's favor. This season has been injury ravaged to say the least.

If Utah can win the next two, that's amazing. But if not, lick your wounds and spend the offseason deciding which one of your 4 star QB recruits is next in line. Bring back Erickson for continuity and pray for a better season from an injury standpoint.

Green has been saying this all along. I'm finally on board.

 

[UGLI baby]

Man, such a bummer.

Hoping it's nothing that will seriously affect his life outside of football.

 

[Former Member]

Extremely tough break for Travis. I hope he is okay. Although, I must admit that I am curios as to what the pre-existing condition is...

Health is more important than football.

 

[YB85]

Apparently the concussion might have saved his life, as they may not have found the pre-existing condition if they weren't treating the concussion.

 

[UGLI baby]

Apparently the concussion might have saved his life, as they may not have found the pre-existing condition if they weren't treating the concussion.

Yup.

Same thing happened to a good friend of mine in college. Got a concussion, found a tumor. Saved his life.


£¥£

 

[//r00t 4 Jazz]

Yup.

Same thing happened to a good friend of mine in college. Got a concussion, found a tumor. Saved his life.


£¥£

Coincidentally a U basketball player I think 2yrs ago Glen Dean had a similar issue, he had headaches after practice (can't remember if he suffered a concussion or not) but he got his head looked at and he had to have brain surgery for a broken blood vessel.

I only heard about this on the drive home because I guess the DNews wrote some inflammatory and untrue things about Wilson's situation, still have yet to hear much, guess it is time for to start some online searching. But from the little I heard and him not flying to Oregon it sounds like it might be a similar issue with a weakened blood vessel that may or may not be helped by surgery (pure speculation by my part since I hadn't heard the Whitt interview or looked it up online yet).

 

[//r00t 4 Jazz]

Travis Wilson is quickly becoming Jordan Wynn II.

Constantly injured, mentally weak, and unable to make just basic throws.

I was going to call BS on this even before the news today, so pretending today didn't happen the only commonality is injuries but Wilson hasn't really had a re-injury and he can make the throws, just not when his hand was injured and couldn't grip the ball.

 

[The Thriller]

I know the focus should and will be on figuring out the QB situation this offseason...

But...

That defense? Especially against the pass? Is hellishly bad. Perhaps even just as bad as the QB situation. Time to reevaluate what you're doing and bring in some better recruits.

Wash St and the Arizona schools have surpassed the U. Cal shouldn't stay down for long. So unless things change fast, the 2 newcomers to the conference will be the doormats. So whatever improvements that have been made are negated by the superior improvement of opponents.

 

[7StraightIsGreat]

I know the focus should and will be on figuring out the QB situation this offseason...

But...

That defense? Especially against the pass? Is hellishly bad. Perhaps even just as bad as the QB situation. Time to reevaluate what you're doing and bring in some better recruits.

Wash St and the Arizona schools have surpassed the U. Cal shouldn't stay down for long. So unless things change fast, the 2 newcomers to the conference will be the doormats. So whatever improvements that have been made are negated by the superior improvement of opponents.

There's an awful lot of folks talking about patience, citing how long it takes to compete in the PAC 12. My problem with this thinking can be traced right to Wazzu. In under 2 seasons, Leach has taken a school that DID NOT have Pac12 talent, does not have top notch facilities, does not have a desireable recruiting location and yet somehow they've already surpassed Utah. This should never had happened.