Kyle Whittingham was the man who, on the same day he was participating in interviews at ESPN, was mistaken for Bronco Mendenhall by some of the network's analysts who credited Mendenhall for the good job he was doing at Utah.
When it comes to comparing Alabama's Saban and Utah's Whittingham, who will lead their teams onto the field at the Jan. 2 Sugar Bowl, their positions on the proverbial coaching ladder are vastly different.
Saban is hovering near the top while Whittingham is just starting his climb in the nation's football consciousness.
The one thing they have in common? Both would benefit tremendously from a Sugar Bowl win.
Alabama isn't paying Saban millions of dollars to lose to a non-BCS team in a bowl game the Crimson Tide view as part of their SEC heritage, having made 12 previous trips to New Orleans.
"Alabama is in one of those can't-win situations," CBSSports.com' analyst Dennis Dodd said. "If Saban wins, and he better win big, that's what he is supposed to do. If he loses, the wolves will come out even after a 12-2 season."
Whittingham, meanwhile, is coaching not only for the reputation of Utah but all non-BCS teams. The last thing he can afford is for his team to be smacked around like Hawaii was in the 2008 Sugar Bowl.
Beating Alabama, on the other hand, could be a huge gain for Whittingham's reputation.
"People outside of the MWC still don't know much about Whittingham," ESPN analyst Bruce Feldman said. "Heck, I'm sure a lot of the media doesn't even know his name. Willingham, Winningham? I feel like I've heard it messed up a few times this year. Beat Alabama and Saban and they won't screw up his name again."
If he's feeling any pressure to beat Saban, Whittingham isn't acknowledging it.
He never gives thought to who is on the other side of the field and he didn't know that Saban was supposedly such a powerful guy either, nor does he care.
"I don't get into all that stuff," he said.
If he did, he'd know he was going up against a coach who thrives in the spotlight that Whittingham often seems to avoid.
Ever since he uttered the words "I'm not going to be the next Alabama coach," Saban has been one of college football's central characters as the Tide's head coach.
He came to the Tide after five years at LSU in which he led the Tigers to the 2003 national title and two years as the Miami Dolphins' coach.
Often described as gruff, methodical and a jerk, in addition to being a very good technical coach, Saban has been embraced by Alabama followers as the Tide's savior from the mediocrity in which the program has been mired.
Last year he used references to Sept. 11 and Pearl Harbor when he said Alabama had to rebound from a catastrophic event after losing to Louisiana Monroe 21-14. The comments drew criticism in Alabama and outside of the state, but certainly there were Alabama fans who were relieved their coach was so devastated over the loss he forgot his political correctness.
Saban apologized for the remarks, but he hasn't toned down his opinions or his gamesmanship.
This year he seemed to poke fun at Georgia's planned blackout of the Alabama game by wearing a black shirt to his press conference, claiming it was the only one he had that was clean. His recent comments that Alabama was the only 12-0 team from a "real BCS conference" could be viewed as a way of discounting Utah's 12-0 record.
Now the pressure is on him to deliver the win and wipe away any thoughts that Utah belonged on the same field as Alabama. It's on Whittingham to prevent such a thing from happening, although even if he can keep the Utes close to the Tide many might consider it a victory, the pundits say.
"Saban's team must resolve its disappointment over missing out on the Big Enchilada, rediscover its motivation and reassert the primacy of the SEC against a BCS "outsider," ESPN's Pat Forde said. "Even a dream season like this would lose significant luster if it ends with two straight losses, one of them a major upset."
lwodraska@sltrib.com
Record: 19-7, 2nd season
Record vs. AP Top 25 Opponents: 5-4
Record vs. AP Top 10 Opponents: 2-2
Biggest coaching victory: 2003 National Championship at LSU
What he is worth: Eight-year deal pays $4 million annually
Record: 36-14, 4th season
Record vs. AP Top 25 Opponents: 3-3
Record vs. AP Top 10 Opponents: 0-0
Biggest coaching victory: Beating No. 16 BYU to clinch BCS berth
What he is worth: Six-year deal pays $681,120 annually
Utah (12-0) vs. Alabama (12-1), 6 p.m. (FOX), Friday, Jan. 2, at New Orleans
Payout: $17 million
Record: 19-7, 2nd season
Record vs. AP Top 25 Opponents: 5-4
Record vs. AP Top 10 Opponents: 2-2
Biggest coaching victory: 2003 National Championship at LSU
What he is worth: 8-year deal pays $4 million annually
Record: 36-14, 4th season
Record vs. AP Top 25 Opponents: 3-3
Record vs. AP Top 10 Opponents: 0-0
Biggest coaching victory: Beating No. 16 BYU to clinch BCS berth
What he is worth: 6-year deal pays $681,120 annually
