The Athletic ranks Kyle Whittingham as one of the best coaches in college football

The Utah Utes have one of the best coaches in all of college football

With some of the top names in college football no longer in the coaching game, there is now an ongoing debate to find the best coach in the sport.

The Athletic's Bruce Feldman recently released his rankings of the top 25 coaches in college football, and with Nick Saban and Jim Harbaugh moving on, there was a ton of movement in his rankings. Georgia's Kirby Smart slid up one ranking from last year to the top spot, Dabo Swinney went from No. 3 to No. 2, and surprisingly Kansas coach Lance Leipold jumped from No. 10 to No. 3. 

Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham also moved up, but not nearly as much as his now-fellow Big 12 running mate. 

Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham  / © Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

The Utes lead man moved up just one spot from No. 9 to No. 8, with Feldman highlighting the team's toughness under Whittingham.

A noted tough guy, Whittingham always fields teams molded in his image. The Utes are physical, relentless and never to be underestimated. His teams are 39-16 over the past full four seasons, and the Utes have beaten USC three times in the past two years.

Had Utah not had a down year in 2023, which was clearly injury-induced, Whittingham likely could have ascended up the rankings even higher. He and Utah will have a chance for redemption in 2024 with both Cam Rising and Brant Kuithe returning, a revamped receiver room, and one of the easiest schedules in the country.

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They are widely viewed as the best team in the Big 12, and anything less than a playoff appearance would have to be considered a disappointment.