The Waiting Game

Ever had to wait for something?
Other than your order at the drive-through, I mean.
It’s frustrating. It’s nerve-wracking. And sometimes it’s downright maddening.
That’s what is happening this week in coaching. It goes like this: Utah defensive coordinator Gary Andersen is up for the head coaching job at Utah State. He’s a strong candidate. Trouble is, Kyle Whittingham is on the list at Washington. So if Whittingham left Utah for Washington, who would become the first choice at Utah?
Probably Andersen.
The job at Utah pays better and is on more solid ground than USU’s.
So at least in some sense, Whittingham is waiting on Washington and Andersen is waiting on Whittingham and USU is waiting on Andersen.
At some point, a school cuts bait and goes with its best candidate at the moment.
John L. Smith was a strong candidate at USU, but sources say he was also trying to check out the Wyoming job. But that position was filled this week. Now he’s all over the USU job. One source said talks with USU cooled over the matter of endorsement revenues. Other sources say Smith sold himself primarily by being John L. Smith.
At any rate, the logjam should end this week. With Wyoming and Tennessee naming new head coaches, the slots are filling up. Other schools and coaches will commit quickly.
Nobody wants to be in the situation Utah was in when Ray Giacoletti replaced Rick Majerus in basketball. Several top candidates either took other jobs or stayed where they were. Giacoletti, from Eastern Washington, was only Utah’s third or fourth option. He ended up getting fired.