This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Back at work after some time off, hope everyone is enjoying this great spring weather. Couple items of noteworthiness. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham was ranked as the fourth best coach in the Pac-12 by The Sporting News. Chip Kelly is No. 1, Mike Leach is second and Lane Kiffin is third. In my opinion it's hard to judge these coaches because of the high turnover in the Pac-12, there isn't exactly much history in which to rank them. However, I'd give the argument that Whittingham, coming from a non-BCS conference, has done more with less. What do you think? Sticking with the rankings theme, ESPN has Star Lotulelei as a No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft. Lotulelei's decision to remain in school was big for the Utes and I believe the right call for him too. He had the skills and talent last year, but another solid year plus the exposure he gets by being in the Pac-12 will go a long ways in giving him some pre-draft hype. His decision could pay off in the millions for him. And in a sign to never give up, former Utah receiver Brian Hernandez has signed with the Washington Redskins as a free agent. - Lya Wodraska