Utah Head Coach Kyle Whittingham to Step Down Following Las Vegas Bowl

After 22 seasons leading the Utes, Whittingham is set to move on.

Longtime Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham is set to step down following the Las Vegas Bowl. / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Utah Utes head football coach Kyle Whittingham is stepping down following the Las Vegas Bowl, retiring after 22 season leading the program.

"The time is right to step down from my position as the head football coach at the University of Utah," Whittingham said in a statement. "It's been an honor and a privilege to lead the program for the past 21 years and I'm very grateful for the relationships forged with all the players and assistant coaches that have worked so hard and proudly worn the drum and feather during our time here," he added in part.

𝗞𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗨𝘁𝗮𝗵 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵.

𝘼𝙡𝙡-𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙨𝙩 head coach in Utah Football history will coach his last game for the Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31. #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/ii706lcGXW

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) December 12, 2025

Whittingham had been pondering retirement for a while, with the school naming defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley the head coach-in-waiting in July of 2024.

In 22 seasons with Utah, Whittingham is 177-88 with three conference championships, two in the Pac-12 and one in the Mountain West.

Utah will take on Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET.

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