Morgan Scalley Named Kyle Whittingham's Successor Deseret News

It's been the unofficial plan for a while, but now it's official.

Utah defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley will become the Utes' new head coach when Kyle Whittingham retires, athletic director Mark Harlan announced Monday morning.

Coach Whittingham has built Utah football into one of the best programs in the country through strong culture, tradition and exceptional student-athletes. He has been clear about his intentions to continue leading this incredible Utah football program as we enter the Big 12 Conference and the new, expanded College Football Playoff, Harlan said in a released statement.

However, we must plan for the future, and Coach Whittingham and I both strongly believe that future lies with Morgan Scalley. Morgan has played a critical role in our success through his embodiment of our core values ​​and his leadership, and I have witnessed his growth as a coach and as a person over the past few years. He is an elite coach who has been trained by the best Coach Whittingham has ever been, and when it is time for Morgan to take over, I have no doubt that our program will continue to be successful.

Scalley’s new $2 million contract with the university restores his head coaching title, a title the Utes’ longtime assistant held but was stripped in 2020 after Scalley accidentally sent a racial slur to a new player during a text message exchange with another coach in 2013, according to an outside investigation.

Once Whittingham retires and Scalley takes over as Utah's head coach, his annual base salary will increase to $5 million per year, which is in line with Whittingham's base salary this year. Whittingham's last publicly available contract amendment, signed in 2022, gives him a $5 million salary in 2024, plus bonuses.

Scalley, who played safety for Utah from 2001-04 and was captain of the Utes' undefeated 2004 team, has coached under Whittingham for nearly two decades. He began his coaching career as an administrative assistant before being promoted to safeties coach for Utah's undefeated season in 2008.

In 2016, Scalley was promoted to defensive coordinator and safeties coach, replacing the retiring John Pease. Utah’s defense has been a consistent calling card under Scalley, and the Utes have been the Pac-12’s best rushing defense in five of the last eight years. In 2019, Utah finished second in the nation in total yards allowed and led the Pac-12 in sacks and tackles for loss three times.

“Utah football and track and field have always held a special meaning for me and my family, and I am honored to receive this award,” Scalley said in a statement.

I want to thank President Randall, Coach Whittingham and Mark Harlan for the confidence they have shown in me, and I remain committed to my continued growth as a coach and person, and as a member of the great University of Utah community. Our staff is excited to begin a new era of Utah football in the Big 12 this fall under Coach Whittingham and to continue the traditions that have become a part of our proud history.

Why Utah Announced Succession Plan Now

Scalley's new contract, which included a pay raise that makes him one of the highest-paid coordinators in the sport, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel and restores the title of head coach pending, signed seven months ago, on November 23, 2023.

That’s a significant date, as Utah and Scalley reached an agreement on a new contract just weeks after USC fired defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. According to reports from Thamel and 247Sports’ Steve Bartle, the Trojans attempted to hire Scalley for the same position in Los Angeles, but the longtime Ute remained in Salt Lake City.

Whittingham, 64, has signed a contract extension through the 2027 season and has not yet announced a retirement date, and is unlikely to do so publicly.

Recently, he has led the Utes to new heights, leading the program to back-to-back Pac-12 championships in 2021 and 2022. Even with the move to a new conference, the Big 12, after more than a decade in the Pac-12, he has shown no signs of slowing down.

“I'm very energized right now,” he told Deseret News Doug Robinson in January. “I'm very excited about the job. As long as I get up in the morning and I'm excited … We're going into the Big 12. It's a new challenge.

While Whittingham, who will be tied for the fourth-oldest active FBS head coach entering 2024, is still at the peak of his powers, everyone retires eventually, and publicly naming a successor provides a clear direction for the program. This is especially important in recruiting, giving the program a sense of stability and assuaging negative recruiting from other programs about Whittingham's retirement.

It will be tough for anyone to follow Whittingham, who led the Utes through two conference changes as head coach, an undefeated season and Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama in 2008 and two straight Pac-12 championships while regularly appearing in the top 25.

Harlan and Whittingham believe Scalley, who has learned from Whittingham as a player and coach for more than two decades, is the best choice to not only retain much of the Utes' current staff, but also to continue Utah's success and culture.

Morgan Scalley is an exceptional football coach and his appointment as the head coach at the University of Utah is a testament to that, Whittingham said in a released statement.

It is an award he has earned not only for his outstanding coaching skills, but also for his selfless dedication to the program and the Utah athletic family. The culture and tradition of Utah football is a point of pride for our staff, and when the time comes for a transition in the leadership of our program, we know Morgan will carry on those traditions the Utah football way.