Mailbag: Utah’s post-Whittingham plan, USC’s valuation, BYU’s win whole and extra

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Please observe: Some questions have been edited for readability and brevity.

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Assuming that Utah coach Kyle Whittingham steps away within the not-too-distant future, defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley most likely will take over. When different packages have changed a legend with a key present employees member, what are some greatest and worst comparisons? And which could be closest to Utah’s case? — @mattkreuter

We agree that the 64-year-old Whittingham will retire within the subsequent few years and Scalley, the longtime defensive assistant and coordinator, will take over this system.

At one level, Scalley was the official coach-in-waiting, however that designation was revoked after he used a racial slur in a textual content message. Our sense is that sufficient time has handed with out additional incident (or further revelations) that the Utes might promote Scalley to the throne with out vital political fallout.

The comparability that comes instantly to thoughts — as a result of it occurred just some years in the past, not as a result of Utah is destined for a similar destiny — is Washington selling Jimmy Lake to exchange Chris Petersen in Dec. 2019. That ended poorly, with Lake dismissed after two seasons.

There is a tough comparability obtainable down the highway from Salt Lake Metropolis, as effectively: In 2001, Brigham Younger changed legendary coach LaVell Edwards with Gary Crowton. Though Crowton wasn’t on Edwards’ employees on the time of the transition, he was a BYU alum. Crowton had a stellar first season, then fizzled.

If we develop the scope in each time and terrain, extra comparisons come into focus.

Oklahoma changed Barry Switzer with defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs in 1989. Gibbs cleaned up the mess left behind and lasted six seasons however didn’t win on the required stage.

In 1993, Washington defensive coordinator Jim Lambright was promoted to go coach after UW legend Don James resigned in August amid an NCAA scandal. Lambright lasted six years, by no means cracking the highest 10 within the ultimate AP ballot.

In 1998, longtime Nebraska assistant Frank Solich took over for Tom Osborne and averaged 10 wins over 4 seasons. However success light in 12 months 5 and Solich was gone quickly after.

So there are myriad conditions much like a Scalley-for-Whittingham trade. In lots of instances the substitute skilled early success, then misplaced traction.

And the timelines are shorter today. Within the Nineteen Nineties, it was widespread to provide coaches 5 or 6 seasons. Now, judgement comes after 12 months 3, if not sooner.

In our view, Oregon presents the very best mannequin for Utah. In some way, the Geese made inside promotions work twice:

— Offensive coordinator Mike Bellotti changed Wealthy Brooks in 1995 and lifted this system to unprecedented heights over the course of his 14 seasons.

— Bellotti then stepped apart earlier than the 2009 season and handed the keys to his playcaller, Chip Kelly, who led the Geese to 46 wins in 4 years (and reworked the game within the course of).

Not one of the aforementioned conditions is precisely like Utah’s presumed transition, and the game is altering dramatically, with economics (e.g., NIL) enjoying an more and more giant position in roster composition.

Our recommendation to Utah followers questioning in regards to the post-Whittingham existence: Take consolation in Utah’s earlier success.

In spite of everything, Whittingham himself was an inside promotion after City Meyer left for Ohio State in 2004, and that transition labored out fairly darn effectively.

Do you are expecting the eight most dear soccer colleges kind an alliance within the coming years as a way to leverage the best media rights payouts? If such an alliance kinds, will USC be included among the many eight? — @TerryTerry79

The Trojans would most likely make the minimize for a Nice Eight, though it is shut. Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama and LSU could be within the dialogue, as effectively.

However we do not see any indication of an eight-school alliance.

How would that operate on a sensible stage? You want greater than eight to create an excellent league. And the way would these eight leverage their media valuation individually provided that they’re at the moment underneath contract (for various lengths) with their conferences.

The tremendous league idea at the moment making the rounds is deeply flawed and options 80 colleges. That is not lifelike: Fox and ESPN wouldn’t comply with pay premium valuations for Minnesota vs. South Carolina or TCU vs. Arizona.

If huge consolidation materializes, the tremendous league that emerges could have fewer than 80 colleges … however way over eight.

Have Fox and the Huge Ten recognized the 2024 soccer video games that shall be moved to Friday? It is troublesome to make journey plans to attend away video games when there’s a danger that the sport shall be moved to a distinct day. — @Jalex0077

The Friday video games have added a layer of complication for followers, and the scenario is just getting worse with the elevated journey (time and price) required in bicoastal conferences.

The 2024 Huge Ten schedule, launched in November, included the next observe:

“Chosen Saturday video games within the 2024 season could also be adjusted to pick Fridays and different particular dates, together with Labor Day Sunday and Black Friday.”

Search for the convention to announce a slew of Friday matchups on the finish of Could, together with the kickoff instances for its early-season (nonconference) video games.

Our hunch: A major quantity of the Friday dates, if not the bulk, will contain West Coast colleges.

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Are the previous Pac-12 groups nonetheless going to take part within the bowl video games tied to the previous convention as speculated a number of months in the past? — @tobsandmags

As we see it, there isn’t a viable various. The brand new properties for the outbound colleges (ACC, Huge Ten and Huge 12) have bowl contracts primarily based on present membership.

Granted, tweaks shall be wanted to keep away from rematches. As an illustration, the Alamo Bowl pairs the No. 2 workforce within the Pac-12 with an opponent from the Huge 12. No person needs Utah enjoying Iowa State in San Antonio one month after the groups collide in Salt Lake Metropolis.

Additionally, the bowl partnerships are primarily based largely on geography.

Holding the outbound Pac-12 groups aligned with Pac-12 bowls within the Pacific Time Zone — except these groups make the minimize for the playoff — creates probably the most cost-effective expertise for followers.

With the Home lawsuit in opposition to the NCAA, should not extra blame and price be on Arizona State since that is the establishment Home swam for? — @bdgiddens6

I can’t assist however chuckle and marvel if the writer of this query is an Arizona fan, searching for a option to denigrate the Solar Devils.

For these unfamiliar, Grant Home is a former ASU swimmer and the named plaintiff in a lawsuit that’s reworking school sports activities by forcing the colleges right into a revenue-sharing settlement with athletes.

Home v NCAA is scheduled for trial subsequent winter however might be settled within the subsequent few months, with a steep price ticket.

ESPN and Yahoo have reported the NCAA might owe former athletes nearly $3 billion in compensation from the pre-NIL period.

Moreover, colleges are getting ready to spend about $20 million yearly in income sharing with present athletes and one other $10 million in further scholarships.

The totality of the fee might power some colleges to eradicate Olympic sports activities or determine they do not wish to compete on the highest stage of main school soccer.

However Grant Home’s alternative of schools mustn’t require ASU to hold a bigger monetary burden. The Solar Devils did not topic him to totally different financial circumstances than existed for Olympic sports activities athletes throughout the nation.

What’s your decide for Colorado’s opener in opposition to North Dakota State? And what occurs in Boulder when the Bisons beat the Buffaloes? — @PDX_JonathanW

NDSU is among the high packages within the FCS and, over time, has defeated a slew of main school groups.

That stated, we’re selecting the Buffaloes. They need to be marginally higher than they had been final season with improved play on the strains of scrimmage.

However a loss to NDSU would create an exceedingly troublesome path into the postseason for second-year coach Deion Sanders.

CU’s convention schedule is daunting with Arizona, Utah and each Kansas colleges, whereas the nonconference lineup once more consists of Nebraska and Colorado State in September.

How for much longer does “Coach Prime” final at Colorado? — @CyclingUte22

We’ve got thought-about Sanders a short-timer in Boulder because the second he accepted the job in Dec. 2022. Both he wins this yr or subsequent and leaves for a greater job, or he flops and resigns.

His current feedback about not following his sons into the NFL are immaterial, in our view.

Even when Sanders needs no a part of teaching on Sundays, he would absolutely entertain presents from his alma mater, Florida State, or an elite school program within the SEC.

Put one other manner: We might be mildly stunned if he is teaching the Buffaloes of their 2026 season opener.

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Will Brigham Younger’s victory whole be over or underneath 4 within the upcoming season? I am going with the underneath. — @utez1568052

Provided that FanDuel set BYU’s win whole at 4.5, your lean appears cheap.

The Hotline pegged the Cougars for thirteenth place within the Huge 12 race subsequent season due to the quarterback uncertainty and a wobbly run protection.

However the schedule can’t be ignored, both.

Profitable on the highway is at all times troublesome. When the house lineup is daunting, as effectively, the general margin for error shrivels.

And BYU has one of many hardest house schedules within the Huge 12 with Kansas, Kansas State, Arizona and Oklahoma State visiting Provo.

I am undecided about your projection of fewer than 4 victories, however we actually would take underneath FanDuel’s whole of 4.5.

Any growing information on the destiny of the Pac-12 Community? — @rEd315

That is dependent upon what you already know.

The Pac-12 Networks will stop to exist as a media distribution firm on July 1. Nevertheless, the infrastructure will stay in place to supply dwell occasions for Washington State and Oregon State in 2024-25.

The faculties have quite a few groups competing as affiliate members of the West Coast Convention and are thereby topic to the WCC’s media necessities. These embrace making dozens of competitions obtainable for broadcast on ESPN’s digital platform.

The Pac-12 Networks’ gear and manufacturing employees will carry the load for WSU and OSU, not less than for the upcoming yr.

After that? The convention has a multi-year lease on the San Ramon workplace house. However like a lot else, that subject is unresolved.