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Inside Cougar Report: The Interviews |
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Dick Harmon | Wednesday, December 11, 2002, 6:00 am
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Gary Crowton has begun the interview progress to replace Ken Schmidt.
This morning, Kyle Whittingham got his official interview with Gary Crowton. Later this week, Bronco Mendenhall will fly into to Provo for his interview. There is a third candidate yet unidentified. A call to Dixie College coach Greg Croshaw, a winner of 185 games and defensive specialist, found him un-called and not expecting one because, although he and Crowton discussed a job possibilty a year ago, Crowton said hiring a JC coach would not go over well in Provo.
I have great respect for Kyle Whittingham. I have been in his home, in his basement, covered him while he played on that 1980 miracle bowl team, watched him at Provo High and covered his brothers Cary and Fred when they played for the Cougars. Know his mom and dad pretty well. The dad, Fred is a former NFL coach with the Raiders and Rams and was the author of BYU's best defenses in the early 80s when the offense was getting all the credit for a string of WAC championships.
I bring this up because Crowton's first words to Kyle when arranging the interview today reflected on Fred the dad. Fred goes on a SLC radio station with Steve Roah and Barry King several times a week and during this past season he was the frequent expert in dissecting and criticizing both Utah and BYU. I'd cringe when I'd hear his outspoken views because each time he did so he was hammering the chances for Kyle with Utah and BYU.
Gary Crowton does not listen to talk radio but he has a ton of friends and relatives that report on what is said.
Fred, you see, is an interesting, no holds barred guy who's frankness is most refreshing most of the time. I sat beside him in the Cal game last year in Berkeley and he praised Crowton to no end for his offense. This year he didn't. But Fred's "frankness" is sometimes his worst own enemy and it got him fired from Utah when he told MAFU that he didn't know what the blank he was doing and did so in front of players. Fred is like my mom. They are both missing that little chip in the brain that tells the vocal gears to shut up at times.
With that background, back to Crowton's first chat with Kyle in arranging the meet. Crowton asked Kyle why his father was on the radio bad-mouthing him and BYU's program all the time. You can imagine the spot Kyle was put on having to answer for his father's missing brain chip.
So, that is how it started and today, Whittingham will have a chance to spill his guts and sell himself with Crowton. What Whiitingham will tell Crowton is all the ways he can use BYU's existing talent and make a formidable defense that will not only lead the conference but win a ton of games. He will discuss specifics about how he will do it, his philosophy, his techniques, his coaching of skills and his recruiting capabilties and experience. If Crowton isn't intimidated, he will certainly be impressed.
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