Utah Utes coach Kyle Whittingham named the Best Big-12 Head Coach

Despite being the new kids on the Big-12 block, Utah's Kyle Whittingham immediately slots in as the conference's best head coach.

Sep 9, 2023; Waco, Texas, USA; Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham on the sidelines during the / Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

On3 Sports has been going conference by conference, ranking each program's head coaches, and the Big 12 was the last of the power five conferences to get the power rankings treatment.

Jesse Simonton uses "recent performance (wins, recruiting, working the transfer portal, hiring assistants, producing NFL Draft picks, etc)" as his main criteria for the rankings, however, even based on an average fan's surface level understanding, Coach Whittingham should be on top of the rankings and that's exactly where Simonton placed him.

Simonton said, "Overwhelmed by a cascade of injuries, the Utes slipped to 8-5 last year— the program’s worst full season since 2017 (7-6). Whittingham has overseen one of the most consistent programs in the nation, with eight Top 25 finishes and two Pac-12 Championships in the last three years."

He continued by saying, "Whittingham, who is set to enter his 20th season with Utah, has maintained remarkable staff continuity (coordinators and have each been on staff for the last nine years). The Utes are the favorites to win the Big 12 this fall, providing Whittingham with a third conference to win a championship in."

The praise for Utah is continuing to grow as the season inches closer and Coach Whittingham is continuing to receive high marks as ESPN also ranked him in a top spot in an article which you can read here. Continually one of the most underrated coaches in the game, Coach Whitt is the bar for consistent sustained success, especially considering the resources at his disposal as opposed to the likes of an Ohio State or Alabama.

Aiming for his third conference championship and his first CFP appearance, the long-tenured coach is working with arguably the most talented roster of his career and looks primed to add to his illustrious Utah record.