attending uncertainty that kids and their parents don't like;

3. A couple of tectonic shifts in the CFB landscape (the collapse of the PAC and with it the loss of their advantage of their rival) and the emergence of NiL - a war that, so far, they are losing badly.

4. The re-emergence of that rival as a program with national visibility, mojo and an experienced and talented roster returning next year.... and starting to steal their most prized talents.

5. The re-emergence of their top two regional rivals in recruiting as nationally relevant football programs (for the past decade, most guys with offers from ASU, Colorado and Utah knew Utah was the best football school - that is no longer the case).

It's not JUST the one bad year, it's a convergence of multiple extremely adverse factors for Utah.