New Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham is expected to remain at the University of Utah

If Kyle Whittingham wanted to continue coaching, Utah should have done what it took to keep him.

So at least at the end, Kyle Whittingham is from Michigan, not Utah. He’s a man from Michigan.

And it’s no one’s fault other than athletic director Mark Harlan and a handful of other people in charge of running things at Utah who messed up the handling of the legendary coach’s respectful retirement, the rushed timing of that retirement. Whittingham’s departure leaves no mark on his legacy. It’s a stain on the leadership, on the lack of it in Utah.

Let’s get this straight here: Whittingham shouldn’t be working anywhere other than the place where he trained his game, where he made his name and gained his fame. He had had the option to leave earlier and resisted even though he was seriously tempted. Now he was to be allowed to leave and bow out whenever and however he chose. This should and could have been ensured. He has earned that right and anyone who claims it is escaping it. Not just about legend and loyalty, but about success and ability, about capacity and ability.

When the time was right for Whittingham to leave, he should have been honored for what he did for the Utes, rather than when it was the wrong time to feel like no one wanted or welcomed him anymore. And unfortunately that’s exactly what he felt. how do we know Because that’s what he said he wanted no part of.

“I didn’t want to be the guy who overstays his welcome and people say, ‘Hey, when is this guy going to leave?’ That was not my intention — never,” Whittingham said.

Come on. He didn’t mean it, did he?

Yes, yes, and he was well aware that certain Utes wanted him gone. This wasn’t just the paranoia of an oversensitive coach, it was a real reflection.

Whittingham repeated himself on this point several times.

And he made the latest point by accepting the head coaching job at Michigan on Friday. Remarkably, it may have taken credit and recognition from Whittingham’s Wolverines for those in Utah who sent him that stupid message to realize they should have thought better of it.

And if they remain steadfast in their insistence that incoming coach Morgan Scalley was and is the better choice at this point, just wait until Whittingham starts poaching assistants and players from the Ute program, now and in the future. It’s pretty much guaranteed that with the resources available at Michigan, people at BYU — even his good friend Kalani Sitake — fear the prospect of the holes Whittingham could leave in this program.

None of this is meant as a shot at Scalley. He’s a smart guy and a good defensive coordinator and will likely succeed as the Utes’ head coach. But will what Whittingham do… beat what Whittingham has always done? Utah had just finished the last regular season at 10-2 heading into the game. Put that on top of his status as Utah’s all-time best coach and pushing him out the door doesn’t make sense. If Scalley ran out of patience and threatened to strike, so be it. Get someone else to take over – in due time, Whittingham time. People who enforce legends usually regret it. The Utes were in the top spot this season, just outside of playoff qualification. If that’s overstaying your welcome, then overstay all you want, man.

Whittingham is as sharp and savvy as ever. And Michigan is fully aware. He’s 66, not 86. He knows how to win, and what he knows is good for Big Ten football. He’s tough, stubborn, but with smooth, worn edges and a wisdom taught by 21 years as Utah’s top dawg.

The Wolverines, emerging from the mess left by their former coach, need an uncompromising leader with strong character who can get them out of that mess in short order. They don’t need longevity. They don’t need a lifer. They need a lifeboat. They need someone to save them, boost them and push them forward. Whittingham is exactly the type of person and presence to do that. The old vet can then hand the proud program over to a younger coach to handle the long haul.

And Whittingham, when the Ann Arbor job is done, can retire, go spend time with his grandkids, indulge his desire to coach for a few more years, and walk away with … what, $30 million more than he had before? Sure, Whittingham already has more money than he’ll ever spend, but those grandkids will likely appreciate what was passed down to them — both in terms of money and opportunity — thanks to his extraordinary efforts at Michigan.

“When you have coaching in your blood,” the Michigan man said, “it doesn’t just go away.”

Not today. Not today.

Maybe one day, one day.

Either way, Utah is yesterday.