New Documents Show Exactly What Kyle Whittingham Wanted From Utah Before Stepping Down

New documents reveal details of Kyle Whittingham’s ugly split with Utah before he was hired by Michigan. | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Months after Kyle Whittingham was hired by Michigan as the school’s next head coach, new documents have come to light revealing the details of Whittingham’s bitter split with Utah.

For one thing, the 66-year-old Whittingham had actually wanted to stay, according to documents recently obtained by The Athletic. Whittingham’s agent, Bruce Tollner, emailed Utah director of football operations Jeff Rudy on Dec. 2 with a message relaying the then-longtime Utes coach’s intention to remain with the program.

“Coach Whittingham does not intend to retire at the conclusion of the 2025 football season,” the email read. Tollner later sent a new one-year proposal for Whittingham to return as Utah’s head coach with a $9 million salary, marking a $1.6 million increase. Tollner also reportedly requested a $20 million figure for “NIL” and an increase of $2 million in his staff salary pool.

A few days later, Utah countered with what may have been its final offer: a one-year deal with an $8 million salary, along with the condition that Whittingham “agrees to cede several aspects of the program to [then-defensive coordinator] Morgan Scalley.”

Whittingham declined the deal, and Utah went forward with naming Scalley as the new head coach as part of the school’s long-expected succession plan.

The string of email correspondences perhaps don’t paint the full picture, but they do appear to show a strained relationship between Whittingham and Utah in which both sides were clearly at odds and couldn’t come to a financial compromise. Some might call it was an ugly divorce; others might say it was a rather predictable ending to Whittingham’s decades-long tenure with the Utes.

Whittingham ultimately stepped down from Utah and signed a $13.5 million separation agreement. He accepted the Michigan job shortly after, replacing Sherrone Moore who was fired for cause after an investigation revealed he had an inappropriate relationship with a member of his staff. Whittingham’s five-year deal with the Wolverines runs through the 2030 season, and he is set to take home an average salary of $8.2 million over the length of the contract.

Whittingham got his pay bump, and Utah followed through with its scheduled succession plan. Everyone wins... but wait, there’s more.

What Utah AD wrote to Kyle Whittingham after ex-coach’s departure

Buried in Whittingham’s separation agreement, which included a buyout of $13.5 million in three installments from 2026 to ‘28, a clause specifically stated that the coach would work with the university to “facilitate a smooth and successful transition of the football program” to Scalley.

In January, Utah paid Whittingham the first installment even though the university believed he did not uphold his end of the bargain. That much was evidenced by a letter from Utah athletic director Mark Harlan to Whittingham, who said he was “disappointed” by the former coach’s actions.

“As you know, the university was disappointed by your actions last month,” Harlan wrote, per documents obtained by The Athletic. “The university felt that your involvement with recruiting our football coaches and staff to Michigan was contrary to the terms of your employment agreement which requires you to assist with a smooth and successful transition of the football program to the new coach and his coaching staff.”

Whittingham took six position assistants, including offensive coordinator Jason Beck, with him to Michigan. He also brought along five players, including four-star signee Salesi Moa.

While Whittingham’s eventual departure from Utah was long in the cards, it’s unfortunate his 21-year tenure ended this way. Chances are Utah won’t be seeing him for a while, with both sides having since moved on from what seemed like a contentious and bitter contract dispute.

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