Kyle Whittingham isn’t brash.
But he doesn’t tend to mince words, either.
When the Utah head coach was asked about former Ute defensive lineman Keanu Tanuvasa’s transfer to BYU, he gave a pointed answer on the subject at Big 12 Media Days.
“As far as that goes, you just move on,” Whittingham said at the podium. “An old, experienced coach once told me, ‘You win with the players you’ve got. You don’t worry about the players you don’t have.’ So I really have nothing to add to that.”
In January — following Tanuvasa and former cornerback Cam Calhoun’s transfer from the Utes — Whittingham said he believed both of their transfers were related to Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals.
“Cam ended up at a school in the Southeastern Conference and he would be battling for a starting job just like last year. He was in that rotation. And Keanu was a very good player for us last year, but they both felt it made more sense to move on for their own reasons. But NIL is something that was certainly in the equation,” Whittingham said in January.
In the months since his transfer to Utah’s biggest rival, Tanuvasa has faced harsh criticism from Ute fans.
He denied that NIL was the overriding factor in his decision, however.
“I recognized that money comes and goes, and if I’m going to have an NFL career, then the money that I make in college matters, but it’s not life-changing,” Tanuvasa said at Big 12 Media Days. “Ultimately, what I needed to take into consideration was a lot more things about my spiritual life and who I wanted to become.”
How each side will fare from Tanuvasa’s decision will ultimately be decided in the fall.
What is clear: The defensive tackle’s transfer has added more stakes to the already hotly contested BYU-Utah matchup taking place on Oct. 18.
“It adds a different dimension to it and more meaning to it when you’re both in the same league,” Whittingham said. “[It is not only] a rivalry game, but a game that could — and should be — instrumental in who ends up winning the Big 12.”
Your thoughts on the U.’s brand
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) A man waves a Utah Utes flag during the game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.
The University of Utah has decided to rebrand.
The Salt Lake City college will now primarily use a logo featuring two red interlocking U’s, moving on from its signature Block U logo.
“This logo refresh is part of our journey to be a top-10 public university because we are expecting to have a national and global reputation,” Utah Chief Experience Officer Andrea Thomas said in a news release. “As we share this new logo across the country, it won’t feel dramatically different because we have been very visible in athletics. This image better aligns with the awareness we already have.”
But don’t fret, Utah football fans.
According to an athletics spokesperson, the move will have “no effect” on Utah’s two primary logos — the classic circle and feather logo and interlocking U image — on the field.
But it led me to ask you a set of questions in our latest poll:
What do you think Utah’s primary athletics logo should be?
• 78% of readers said they preferred the circle and feather.
• 18% voted for the interlocking U logo.
• 4% picked the Block U.
The circle and feather logo was a clear winner — but why?
One fan said: “It’s a very nice design and looks great! Plus, it represents the Ute people!”
“If you want to stand out, that would do it,” another person added.
Those who chose the Interlocking U logo cited their love for its simplicity.
“I love the drum and feather for uniforms, but the Interlocking U’s look better to represent the official logo,” one responder said.
Another added (this one made me laugh): “Because it’s UU-nique.”