Get to know Utah's new head coach Morgan Scalley

Scalley is set to take the wheel after Kyle Whittingham announced his retirement

Utah Utes defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley will be the program's next head coach after Kyle Whittingham retires at the end of the season. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Kyle Whittingham's retirement at the end of the 2025 season will usher in a new era of Utah football.

The program's all-time winningest head coach had been at the helm of the Utes since 2004, guiding them through the Mountain West, Pac-12 and first couple of seasons in the Big 12 while racking up 177 career victories, including three conference championship wins, over the course of his 21-year tenure. He started as an assistant coach under Ron McBride in 1994.

Needless to say, it'll feel odd not seeing Whittingham pace the sidelines at Rice-Eccles Stadium in 2026 and beyond.

The next stage of Utah football shouldn't feel like a complete culture shock, though, given Whittingham's replacement is already well-versed in the program's standards and expectations.

Defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley is set to step in as the Utes' next head coach, about 17 months after Utah athletic director Mark Harlan named the Salt Lake City native the program's head-coach-in-waiting in July 2024.

Get to know Morgan Scalley

Scalley, 46, has spent his entire football life in the state of Utah, beginning with his playing days at Highland High School (Salt Lake City) and continuing through his 18 years as a member of the Utes coaching staff.

Scalley wasn't exactly built like the typical high school standout — he was 5-foot-5 and about 125 pounds during his sophomore year — but nonetheless worked his way up the depth chart, eventually seizing the starting running back job by his junior season.

An all-state senior season had Scalley fielding offers from schools like UCLA, Washington State and Air Force, though he didn't have any intentions of going on a visit outside the state. He did attend a BYU-Utah game during an official visit with the Cougars — only to commit to the Utes soon after.

Scalley took a "grayshirt" out of high school, meaning he didn't attend the first quarter at college, and went on a mission trip to Munich, Germany, instead.

Upon his return to the states, Scalley tried his hand playing running back for the Utes, though he was used primarily as a punt returner in 2001. He attempted to play receiver with the hope of moving to the backfield, but Whittingham had intentions of utilizing him on the defensive side of the ball.

Scalley wound up becoming a standout defensive back, earning All-American and Mountain West co-Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2003. He played a pivotal role during Utah's undefeated 2004-05 campaign, capped off by a 35-7 victory over Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl, and received the inaugural Pat Tillman Award during the 2005 East-West Shrine Game.

Scalley wore several hats on Utah's staff

Scalley, who graduated Utah with a master's degree in business, returned to the school in 2007, then was named safeties coach in 2008. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2016 after serving as the special teams coordinator in 2015.

Under Scalley, the Utes defense has continued to embody the same characteristics Whittingham infused into it when he was the team's defensive coordinator; relentless, smart, tough and not prone to giving up a lot of points.

Since 2019, the Utes have held opponents to 15 points or fewer in 36 games, including seven times during the 2025 regular season. Overall, Utah yielded 18.7 points per contest in 2025, ranking No. 17 in the country, and was No. 2 in the Big 12 in passing yards (177.5 allowed per game).

Utah's defense, which has finished in the top-half of its conference nine times in the past 10 seasons, has been stout against the run too, though it took a step back in 2025 (182.8 yards allowed per game). The Utes were the Pac-12's top run defense for five seasons (2016 and 2018-21) and were top-five nationally in 2018, 2019 and 2023. Utah was also

Scalley's reputation as one of college football's brightest defensive minds made him a finalist for the Broyles Award, awarded annually to the nation's top assistant coach, after Utah finished No. 2 in total defense (289.9 yards allowed per game) in 2019.

Not just a defensive coach

Aside from his acumen as a defensive-minded coach, Scalley also boasts quite a track record along the recruiting trails. During his time as the Utes' recruiting coordinator from 2009-15, he helped reel in 247Sports' No. 21-ranked class in 2023 and the No. 25 class in 2012. Scalley was Rivals’ non-BCS recruiter of the year in 2010 and one of the top 25 recruiters in the nation overall after bringing in the top-ranked class outside the power conference structure.

Several highly-touted recruits who came to play for Scalley's defense wound up moving on to the NFL after their collegiate careers. In total, Scalley helped develop 33 NFL players on the defensive side of the ball, including the highest-drafted linebacker in school history, Devin Lloyd (No. 27 overall in 2022) and 2023 All-Pro selection Jaylon Johnson.

Utah has also featured 13 All-Americans on the defensive side of the ball during Scalley's tenure, with consensus selections Jonah Elliss 2023), Clark Phillips III (2022), Lloyd (2021) and Bradlee Anae (2019) headlining that prestigious group.

Personal

Scalley's infatuation with the Utes started at a young age, as both his mother and father graduated from Utah. His father, Bud, played tailback for Utah in the 1960s.

Scalley, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, is married and has three children with his wife Liz.

Scalley was tabbed as Utah's head-coach-in-waiting in 2020, though the school revoked that designation following an external review into his use of a racial slur in a text message to a recruit in 2013. Scalley held onto his defensive coordinator position but took a significant pay cut as a result.

Scalley was reinstated as the head-coach-in-waiting in 2024 after participating in regular diversity and inclusion education, as part of his agreement to return to the program.