What Continued Big 12 Coaching Shakeup Means For Deion Sanders, Colorado

Time's made it bolder, coaches get older, and the Big 12's getting older, too.

The conference's landslide of an offseason kept rolling Friday, as Utah Utes coach Kyle Whittingham announced he's stepping down. At 20 seasons, he was the second-longest tenured coach in college football.

It further muddies the Colorado Buffaloes' outlook for Big 12 play going forward, as four veteran coaches have left their posts over the past few months. Whittingham's Utah faced coach Deion Sanders in each of his three seasons, going 2-1 against the Buffs.

Utah's Kyle Whittingham To Step Down

Sep 6, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham looks on before the game against the Cal Poly Mustangs at Rice-Eccles Stadium. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Whittingham finished with a record of 177-88 while at Utah, by far the program's all-time winningest coach. He took the job from little-known Utes coach Urban Meyer, who had just gotten his big break with the Florida Gators.

He guided Utah through three different conferences to eight 10-win seasons, including an undefeated record in 2008. That year, the Utes upset heavily-favored Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. This past season, Whittingham, 66, oversaw a 10-2 record and will coach his final game in the Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska on New Year's Eve.

He dominated Colorado, boasting a 12-3 record against the Buffaloes since the Pac-12 merger in 2011. "Coach Prime" held him in high regard, never failing to mention his admiration of Whittingham as a program leader when the sides faced off.

Nov 25, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion 'Coach Prime' Sanders congratulates Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham after the Utah Utes victory over the Colorado Buffaloes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. | Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

The Utes ran roughshod over Colorado this past season, winning 53-7 in the Rumble in the Rockies' most lopsided result. Utah is on the Buffaloes' listed opponents for 2026, set for Folsom Field at some point during Big 12 play.

The teams' identity likely won't change, however. Longtime defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley is expected to take over as Utes coach and has a promising future core, including a star at quarterback in Devon Dampier.

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New Era Of Big 12 Leadership

Oklahoma State University (OSU) introduces the new head football coach, Eric Morris, during a rally in Stillwater on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. | DOUG HOKE/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Whittingham joins Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy, Iowa State's Matt Campbell and Kansas State's Chris Klieman as Big 12 coaches to leave their positions for one reason or another. Gundy was fired after a record-setting tenure with the Cowboys, Campbell was hired away by Penn State and Klieman retired.

OSU made an ambitious hire, bringing in North Texas Mean Green coach Eric Morris to fire up its offense. ISU also went down college football's food chain, hiring Washington State coach Jimmy Rogers. KSU quickly pried Texas A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein back to his alma mater to succeed Klieman.

Colorado faces Utah, Oklahoma State and Kansas State next season, along with Northwestern (who lost coach Pat Fitzgerald to Michigan State) on its non-conference slate, meaning at least four first-year coaches. Just five Big 12 coaches preceded Coach Prime's 2022 hiring to the Buffaloes.

Nov 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders watches the big screen during a replay during the first quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

BYU's Kalani Sitake (hired in 2016) is now the conference's longest tenured head man. Sanders' job security is tight, but many have speculated whether another losing season in Boulder would land him on the hot seat.

Whatever the case, Colorado will face a new-look conference with an array of new identities and personnel in next fall's Big 12 play. It will be a fascinating test for what's sure to be a young and growing Buffaloes squad, soon to be captained by redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Lewis.