Kyle Whittingham, Utah needs a change for recovery season

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Football suffered its third straight loss, this time a painful 13-7 loss to the TCU Horned Frogs.

The Utes defense did everything it could to keep them within striking distance, but the offense failed again.

Utah's inability to progress on offense has become quite alarming. Given last night's performance, serious questions remain about the program.

RELATED: Offensive struggles derail Utah football by reducing loss to TCU Horned Frogs

The problems are obvious: Utah's offensive coaches are failing

“I think we're doing well other than not being able to score, get first downs, run the ball, throw the ball efficiently and convert on 3rd or 4th down to carry out. Other than that I think we're OK,” he said. “Obviously frustrated,” Kyle Whittingham explained.

Utah's offense finished the game with the following totals:

• Totaled 267 yards, 199 passing, 68 rushing
• 12 1st downs, 2 of 15 on 3rd down, 0 of 2 on 4th down
• Allowed 4 sacks, gave up 8 tackles for loss
• 0 trips to the red zone
• 11 punts
• 7 points

The offense appears to have deteriorated over time. Not just in terms of production, but also in terms of character. The offense has lost its identity and lost touch with the personnel on the field.

Everyone understands that there will be a transition from a veteran quarterback to a true freshman. However, this steep decline is not the case. The attack doesn't have to be that complicated and the production doesn't have to be that difficult.

Coach Whittingham presses after the game pic.twitter.com/yi0CfztzPn

— Steve Bartle (@BartleKSLsports) October 20, 2024

What changes could we face?

“It's no secret what our problems are, they've been cropping up for three weeks in a row now,” he said. “So we have to take a close look at everything in the next 24 to 48 hours and make some difficult decisions.”

Knowing the offense is struggling is one thing, but being willing to make the necessary changes is another. When asked if there could be changes to the offensive staff, Whittingham didn't dismiss the possibility.

“Everything is up for evaluation and we will evaluate it,” Whittingham said.

The offense was painfully predictable for most of the night. The TCU defense was able to hit the backfield seemingly without fear of consequences. They knew what was coming and were one step ahead of the Utah offense.

The entire offense is out of place. It has also shown no signs of progress in three games. There seems to be only one change that would be significant; a change in offensive coordinator duties.

RELATED: Takeaways – Utah loses its third straight with a 13-7 loss to TCU

What about personnel changes among the players?

There are also many questions about Utah's personnel decisions. There are players who have proven themselves at this level but haven't been a part of Utah's offensive scheme at all this season.

In football, coaches usually meet after the week of training to finalize the game plan. This is where head coaches and assistants also determine the personnel package and players.

Given the absence of players who have proven themselves at this level – Jaylon Glover, Landen King and Munir McClain – it is also time to thoroughly rethink the thought process behind these personnel decisions.

Depth isn't just about getting insurance, it's also about having multiple options and capabilities at your disposal. Utah's unwillingness to use certain players or the strength of different players also needs to change.

A season on the brink

After four straight wins to start 2024, Utah's season has tanked with three straight losses. However, these weren’t just “losses,” they were demoralizing and embarrassing defeats.

Suddenly, with five games to go, Utah's bowl eligibility is in serious doubt. Those in charge will do everything they can to keep the team together, but Whittingham's program now faces a difficult task.

The expectations for this team in the preseason were quite high. The drop was abrupt and steep. Whittingham needs to thoroughly assess the issues that have plagued her 2024 campaign, that much is clear.

However, we are now at the point where Utah leadership needs to evaluate the bigger picture. More consideration needs to be given to the future of the program.

Utah cannot afford to stagnate and fall behind in the ongoing evolution of college football. Unfortunately, after last night's performance, it's starting to feel that way.

2024 Utah Football Season Results:

The rest of the Utes 2024 schedule:

• Utah Football @ Houston Cougars on Saturday, October 26th
• Utah Football vs. BYU Cougars on Saturday, November 9th
• Utah Football @ Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday, November 16th
• Utah Football vs. Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday, November 23rd
• Utah Football @ UCF Knights on Friday, November 29th

Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts the Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to beat the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

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