SALT LAKE CITY — Dressed in gym shorts and a Utah hoodie — his "business attire" — Utes football head coach Kyle Whittingham addressed a small crowd in the Layton Field House in the sound end zone of Rice-Eccles Stadium on Friday afternoon.
For the last 19 years, Whittingham was been the public face to a football program that has continued to grow during his tenure as the head coach — from its success in the Mountain West Conference to its gradual climb in the Pac-12 where the team is reigning back-to-back champions. The program continues to rise under Whittingham.
And it's not done there, at least if you believe the crowd that gathered.
On Friday afternoon, Whittingham was there to thank and kick off the efforts of those who came together to create a university endorsed name, image and likeness initiative called the Utah Crimson Collective. The collective, which was founded by Matt Garff and chaired by Colorado Rockies owner Charlie Monfort, was created to support members of the football program though NIL.
