It really doesn't come down to religion. It comes down to where you been and what relationships you have. Of course bags can help, but in the end a coach needs a solid base to grow from, and throwing money at elite recruits and portal transfers can fill a void, but they can't build that base. Whittingham's coaching career is centered in Utah and Idaho. From there, he may have grabbed some recruits from the western states, and leaned on the mormonism. That is his base.
What happens when he rolls into a high school in Columbus, someplace in GA, FL or VA and has no relationship there to roll from? It is that much harder. And even if you get a recruit, they may not be totally bought in, because they were literally bought.
The only saving grace for Whittingham is the current climate of paying for rosters, but that isn't a recipe for sustained success, which makes me think maybe Scum wants 2 good years from Whittingham to get a coach that can bring that potential sustained success. That is the current climate.