There was no guarantee. No guarantee. The word “pension” is not used.
What happened was a Cold War that ended with the motorcycle, 66-year-old Kyle Whittingham, who left the program he stood for decades for a Midwestern blue blood.
Left to pick up the pieces? Whittingham’s former lieutenant and long-serving coach Morgan Scalley.
After Saturday’s holiest of the holy war wins over No. 9 BYU, it sure looks like No. 3 Utah is winning that divorce.
“We had a coach in waiting, and it really paid off because he was ready to go and knew our program,” Utah athletic director Mark Harlan told me in March. “We didn’t expect to return as many staff members as we did, but that happens in college football.
“Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, something happens.”
Morgan Scalley has started Utah 9-0 in his first season as the program’s head coach. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
Something has happened: Utah is a major College Football Playoff contender. Michigan couldn’t be further away.
The Utes’ win on Saturday was more suited to a late-night boozy night in Las Vegas than a dirty soda start at 10 a.m. local time in Salt Lake City. However, it ended much the same way – with everyone excited, exhausted, rushing onto the field and holding a memory they will cherish for a long time.
The stands shook. The Cougars were rocked. Utah? His offense immediately roared.
The Utes finished Saturday’s contest averaging 5.3 yards per play against a BYU defense that had held teams to less than 4.5 yards per play.
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier did it all, provided the magic Saturday. He sliced and diced the Cougars’ defense to the tune of 87 yards rushing, while his 6.8 yards per pass attempt were the fourth-most by BYU all season.
Oh, and he touched down on a reception — a diving, shouldering, fourth-down catch down the sideline by wide receiver Creed Whittemore.
As the fourth quarter opened, it was Dampier’s centre-back draw from 3 yards out — a play set up by a BYU pass interference call on the previous third down — that had once New Mexico imports Griddy-ing through the back of the end zone at Rice Eccles Stadium.
Boy, would Michigan kill for this.
The Wolverines offense has been anemic at best and unwatchable at worst through eight games. He ranks 16th of 18 in the Big Ten in yards per game, 17th in points per game and dead last in the league in passing offense. That won’t do it.
To what extent Dampier was an option for the Wolverines is not entirely clear. Bryce Underwood and his $3 million annual contract was certainly an obstacle. Still, there was some thinking in college football circles that, with Whittingham bringing a slew of characters from Salt Lake City to Ann Arbor — including offensive coordinator Jason Beck — his quarterback could follow.
He didn’t — and Michigan has suffered through Whistleblower Hell because of that decision.
“He’s ultra competitive,” Scalley said of Dampier during his post-game interview. “He’s rare. He’s unbeatable. That’s what he’s improved the most since last season; the ability to let things go.”
Devon Dampier threw for 177 yards, rushed for 89 yards and had a 29-yard catch in the Utes’ win over BYU. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
And how about this protection? Despite all the talk of physics that BYU flashed in its upset win over then-No. 11 Notre Dame two weeks ago, Utah harassed its rival in the trenches, holding Cougars star LJ Martin to just 19 yards on seven carries in his return from injury.
Twice, the unit also buckled down and took short snaps on BYU’s final drive to snuff out any hope the Cougars had for one last tying prayer before picking off BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier’s final touchdown pass of the afternoon to ice the Holy War.
That, of course, was without starting cornerback Smith Snowden, dominant inside linebacker Jonah Lea’ea and All-American edge rusher John Henry Daley. That trio — and a handful of other former Utes — followed Whittingham to Michigan. Surely they regret that decision on an afternoon like Saturday.
“We knew (BYU) was going to get their plays,” Scalley continued as the Utah faithful crowded around him, chanting his name in unison. “They’re a good offense. They have good players. We just wanted to make life uncomfortable for them.”
CFP’s photo it is definitely far from a finished work.
Selection committee will gather this weekend, rank the teams once again, and the greater world of college football will undoubtedly complain about whatever order they land in.
Start here: Utah should be the no. 1.
Michigan? Well, any postseason aspirations that weren’t lost with a last-second “win” over Western Michigan have long faded. Whittingham’s side are stumbling into a season that has felt lost for weeks.
None of this will matter to the people of Utah.
The Utes are undefeated, beat their hated rival and are in the driver’s seat for the Big 12 regular season title.
There is no post-divorce, mid-life crisis playing out in Salt Lake City these days.
Utah and Scalley are ready to drive their red Ferrari from top to bottom of a program right into the national title conversation.