Mark Harlan discusses Kyle Whittingham’s departure from Utah

In his first interview since Kyle Whittingham stepped down, Utah athletic director Mark Harlan addressed the former coach’s departure from the program.

Whittingham was careful to use the words “stepping down” in his statement about leaving Utah’s program on Dec. 12, with reports popping up soon after that the longtime coach could pursue other coaching opportunities.

“I will say that he did not want to use the word retirement, and I understood what that meant. He might go coach again, whether it was a head coach, whether it was maybe in the NFL where his son (Alex) has been,” Harlan said.

On Dec. 26, Whittingham was announced as Michigan’s new head coach, a little more than two weeks after the job in Ann Arbor surprisingly came open late in the coaching cycle after Sherrone Moore was fired for having ”an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.”

Suddenly, Utah’s all-time winningest coach was inking a deal with Michigan.

Harlan called Whittingham’s decision to step down a “mutual understanding.”

“Kyle and I spoke about what he was thinking about the team, about the program, and of course where he was at with his decision-making. That conversation went on for a few days, I would say. And then after talking it through back and forth, we just kind of both came to a mutual understanding that now was just a good time for him to step down,” Harlan said.

Harlan said that Whittingham did not ask for a contract extension during his conversations with Utah. Whittingham, whose contract at Utah ran through 2027, inked a five-year deal with Michigan that runs through the 2030 football season.

“No, we talked about everything as it related to the program. He was already on his final — he had a few more years on his contract,” Harlan said. “So it was more about where the program is and what he wanted to do. But we didn’t change his contract or (he) certainly never asked for an extension. It was just more about what was his feeling about coming back for another year.”

In what would be his final interview with the Utah media on Dec. 18, Whittingham said he did not want to “overstay his welcome” at the school.

“I’m at peace and I did not want to be that guy that overstayed his welcome and people just saying, ‘Hey, when’s this guy going to leave?’ That was not my intention ever, and I hope I didn’t do that. I’m sure with some people I did do that, but to me the timing is right,” Whittingham said.

In his introductory press conference at Michigan, Whittingham said he made a “mistake” by answering questions about his retirement.

“Well, I signed a five-year contract (at Michigan). What I made (as) a mistake at Utah is when they started asking me about retirement, and I started answering questions and giving my own thing,” he said. “I am not that old. I am 66. It is not that old. I feel like I got enough energy and juice to see this through.”

Asked if there was “miscommunication” between Utah and Whittingham about retirement, Harlan said no.

“I go back to after last year where he was seriously contemplating (retirement) and we talked about it and he really was passionate about coming back and fixing it. I mean, what he said publicly is exactly what he told me privately,” Harlan said.

“He did not want to leave it this way (last year). And a part of me always felt because his love for Morgan (Scalley) and wanting Morgan to really take it at a healthy place. And so it was similar to this following cycle where — I can’t get in his head and I don’t think anybody but him can really say — but I just think he felt the time was right to do that.”

Harlan said that the former Ute coach will be honored by the university at some point.

“There will be a time and a place to celebrate everything he brought to this university,” Harlan said.

Source: Utah News