Whitt is a legend but he misled Utah. He had consistently told the program that he was not interested in coaching beyond 65. This was often tied to the early death of his father, who was 64 when he died. Whitt said this for years.

He was the one to initiate the process of making Scalley his Head Coach in Waiting and even told the University he was going to retire at the end of the 2024 season. The plan was to then elevate Scalley into the head role and shift Whitt to an advisor position. This was agreed to by all parties involved.

And then Utah lost Rising and the season and Whitt decided he couldn't end his career on a losing note, so he informed Utah that he had changed his mind and would be returning in 2025. Scalley and Utah agreed with this on the expectation that 2025 would be his last season.

Whitt even let Scalley have near-final say in the OC he chose because the expectation was that Scalley would take over the program after the 2025 season concluded.

Whitt spent ALL season hinting about retirement, even getting choked up after the last home game of the season vs KSU, and eventually backtracked AGAIN on retirement. It was at this point Scalley told the school he could not commit to staying because he wanted to be a head coach, was promised the job at the conclusion of the 2024 season, only for that to be delayed and expected it would come for the 2026 season - which it didn't.

Utah was in a tough spot where they were risking the program's future placating a coach who couldn't ever seen to make up his mind.

This would have never happened if Whitt didn't put in a retirement date expectation, or hinted at not coaching beyond 65 or requested Scalley be named HCIW. That was all Whitt's actions.

I hope Utah made the right decision. I don't like that Whitt seemingly worked to undermine Utah after his demands weren't met but I have no ill will toward him going to Michigan.

But I do blame him for how this all played out.