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Utah is reaching into enemy ranks to get a coach it hopes will help address its passing woes.
The team announced Wednesday that Guy Holliday will be Utah's next receivers coach, coming off his last thee-year stint at BYU. After beating Holliday's team in the Las Vegas Bowl, 35-28, the Utes hope plucking him out of Utah County will help improve a unit coach Kyle Whittingham sees as having "a lot of potential."
Utah also announced an internal reshuffling that addresses other coaching vacancies: The Utes have switched Lewis Powell back to his natural strength at defensive line, where he coached at Hawaii. They'll plug his role as tight ends coach with Fred Whittingham, Jr. Kyle Whittingham's brother has served as director of player personnel for the past three years. Whittingham will also serve as Morgan Scalley's successor as recruiting coordinator, increasing his role in recruiting, where he has already been heavily utilized.
A school news release quoted Kyle Whittingham as saying staff moves are "now complete," seemingly indicating that Utah's next special teams coordinator will come from within. Whittingham led the special teams during the 2014 season, when the unit was considered one of the best in the country.
Holliday, 50, is the only newcomer to Utah's football coaching staff this year. While he's switching out his colors — and he says he'll still root for BYU when the Cougars and the Utes aren't playing — he says his passion for the job won't change.
"I'll be just as intense in red and black as I was in blue in white," Holliday said in an interview with the Tribune. "I'm excited for BYU, and I'll root for them to win 11 games. Just not that second one [when BYU plays Utah]. I'll get to experience the rivalry from the other side."
In his 18 years of experience coaching receivers, Holliday has been at UTEP, Cornell and Mississippi State, among others, before Provo. Most recently, he was helping coach BYU against the Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl, as the Cougars piled up 315 passing yards against the Utes.
He first crossed paths with Kyle Whittingham's staff in 2011, when the Utes visited El Paso for the Sun Bowl. When Holliday came to Utah in 2013, the familiarity grew. When Bronco Mendenhall left for Virginia and Utah had a receiving coach opening, the marriage made sense — Holliday recently bought a home in South Jordan and hoped to stay in the state long-term.
"I guess you could say this has been nurtured for a few years," he said. "I've gotten to know those guys really well. Hopefully I'll be able to be influential in the passing game."
In his past job, he's credited with helping develop a unit that didn't have much talent when he took over.
Holliday presided over the Cougars' receiving unit as a part of a passing offense that ranked No. 21 nationally in yards per game (296.5). BYU boasted three receivers — Mitch Mathews, Devon Blackmon and Nick Kurtz — who had more yards each than Utah's top receiver last year, Britain Covey (519 yards). Mathews also had 11 touchdowns, which was as many as Utah's entire receiving corps.
He also has strong recruiting ties in Texas and the junior college ranks, and notably helped bring Blackmon and Kurtz to Provo. He has ties to BYU commits Jonah Trinnaman and Troy Warner, both four-star recruits on Rivals.com.
Holliday will take over a unit with less proven talent and experience as the Utes lose their top three receiving yard leaders and replace quarterback Travis Wilson. Utah parted ways with receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield after finishing 11th in the conference with 180 passing yards per game. Utah receivers accounted for five catches in Utah's 71-yard passing performance in the bowl (including quarterback-turned-receiver Kendal Thompson).
Utah has only gotten one 1,000-yard season from a receiver in the last six seasons: Dres Anderson in 2013. The top returner in 2016 is Tyrone Smith, who had 18 catches for 193 yards. Kenneth Scott and Bubba Poole both graduate, while Covey goes on a two-year LDS Church mission.
In a call with The Tribune prior to Holliday's hire, Whittingham said he thinks the personnel is capable of major improvement.
"We weren't very experienced, but that's no excuse," Whittingham said. "What is encouraging to me is there's a lot of potential. We played several freshmen that got extensive time. Getting Timmy Patrick back would be huge, he's a heck of a talent. … There's some real upside in that group."
The good news for Utah is the incoming class: At least four newcomers are expected to join the receiving corps, and others bring receiving experience. Holliday will also be tasked with getting more out of returning players who didn't produce much last fall: Delshawn McClellon, Kenric Young, Saiosi Wilson, Raelon Singleton and Kyle Fulks among them.
Notably, Holiday has followed a Utah coach before: He got the job at BYU after now-Utes offensive co-coordinator Aaron Roderick accepted the position and changed his mind in a 24-hour span in 2013.
Powell and Fred Whittingham are more familiar quantities. Powell was hired last year out of Hawaii as an ace recruiter, but he now moves to the position where he was himself a standout for Utah from 2001 to 2003. Powell has also served as a grad assistant and administrative assistant at the U.
Fred Whittingham is coaching for the first time after managing recruiting administration, camps and clinics and helping organize NFL scouting visits for the Utes. He was team captain at BYU, where he played fullback.
Twitter: @kylegoon —
About Holliday
• Spent 2013-15 at BYU, had three receivers with 500-plus yards in 2015
• Has also coached receivers at UTEP, Cornell, Mississippi State, Western Michigan
• Recruiting ties in Texas; helped bring Devon Blackmon, Nick Kurtz to BYU —
U.'s offseason moves
A full listing of staffing changes for the Utes:
Defensive coordinator • John Pease retired; Morgan Scalley promoted, will still coach safeties
Defensive line • Lewis Powell switched over to defense to replace Pease
Tight ends and recruiting coordinator • Fred Whittingham Jr. promoted from director of player personnel
Wide receivers • Taylor Stubblefield won't return; Guy Holliday hired
Special teams coordinator • Vacated by Scalley; likely coached by current staff member