Athletes - Kyle Whittingham

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	Athletes - Kyle Whittingham

Kyle Whittingham (born November 21,1959 in San Luis Obispo, California) is the head football coach of the University of Utah Utes. Prior to becoming the head coach at Utah, Whittingham served as Utah's defensive coordinator for 10 seasons. He was named head coach of the University of Utah after Urban Meyer left for the University of Florida in 2004.

Whittingham graduated from Brigham Young University in 1984 and went on to play linebacker for the New Orleans Breakers of the old USFL and the Calgary Stampede of the CFL. Whittingham also became a Graduate Assistant for BYU during the 1985 and 1986 seasons. In 1987 Whittingham was named defensive coordinator at the College of Eastern Utah. He coached there for a season before taking a job at Idaho State. After two seasons with Idaho State, Whittingham joined the Utah staff and coached under his father, Fred Whillingham. In the 1995 season, Whittingham replaced his father as the defensive coordinator, where he would stay until being named head coach in 2004. Whittingham is married to the former Jamie Daniels and the two have four children: Tyler, Melissa, Alex and Kylie

First season as head coach

Whittingham had a monumental task in his first season. Not only was he replacing a great coach like Urban Meyer, he had to follow up a 12-0 Utah team that became the first non-BCS team to make a BCS bowl game. The Utes, in 2004, played in the Fiesta Bowl. The Utes also lost starting quarterback Alex Smith to the NFL, as he was drafted #1 by the San Francisco 49ers.

Whittingham's first season was an up and down ride for the Utes as the team not only adjusted to a new coaching staff, but a new offense led by quarterback Brian Johson. Utah struggled early on, going 3-4 in their first 7 games, however a strong finish -- with a win over their bitter rival BYU -- gave Utah their third straight bowl invite.

In the 2005 Emerald Bowl the Utes faced the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets. Heavy underdogs, Utah stunned Georgia Tech 38-10, the Yellowjackets worst bowl loss in school history. Whittingham finished his first at Utah with a respectable 7-5 record.

Whittingham's record at Utah: 7-5 (.583).

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