 With the Utes slipping again into a losing season, McBride was fired by Utah after the 2002 season and replaced by Urban Meyer.Despite the inglorious end to McBride's tenure, he is credited with laying the foundation for Utah's rise to national prominence under Meyer and his former defensive coordinator, Kyle Whittingham.During his tenure at Utah, McBride posted an overall record of 88–63 (.582), at the time the second-most wins in the history of Utah football.