Utah football hires Kevin McGiven as offensive coordinator

Utes make third coaching change since end of 2025 season

The Utah Utes have made three coaching moves since the end of the season. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Morgan Scalley's vision for the future of the Utah football program continued to see itself through on Saturday.

A few hours after officially naming Derrick Odum the next safeties coach, Morgan Scalley tabbed now-former Utah State offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven to lead the Utes offense in 2026.

McGiven brings 25 years of coaching experience, including 17 as a coordinator and mentoring quarterbacks, with him to Salt Lake City. The Utah Valley alum spent the past season in Logan, Utah, where he helmed one of the top offenses in the Mountain West.

McGiven replaces former Utes offensive coordinator Jason Beck, who followed Kyle Whittingham to Michigan at the end of the 2025 campaign.

"Kevin is one of the brightest offensive minds in college football," Scalley said in a news release. "His ability to innovate and adapt to different personnel is extremely impressive and he brings a scheme and mentality that are perfect for the playmakers we have here at Utah."

The Aggies ranked No. 2 in the Mountain West in scoring (31.8 points per game) and No. 3 in total offense, putting up 422.4 yards per game. And like Utah, the Aggies were led by a dual-threat quarterback: Bryson Barnes, who finished the season as one of six Football Bowl Subdivision players with at least 2,500 passing yards and 700 rushing yards in 2025. He also had 18 touchdown passes to five interceptions, earning second-team All-Mountain West honors.

For comparison, Devon Dampier had 2,490 passing yards and 835 rushing yards this past season. If McGiven's offense proves to be similar, there should be a sense of familiarity for Dampier and company as they move forward without Beck.

"What an incredible honor for me to be hired as the offensive coordinator at the University of Utah," McGiven said. "This is a special place with special people that I've always aspired to be. I sincerely thank [Utah athletic director] Mark Harlan and Coach Scalley for giving me this opportunity and putting their faith and trust in me to lead our offense. My wife and I are excited to get down there and I look forward to continuing and building upon the success and tradition of Utah football."

Prior to Utah State, McGiven spent seven seasons at San José State, where he was the Spartans' offensive coordinator for six years. With McGiven on staff, the Spartans won 38 games and qualified for four bowl games over his final five seasons with the program, during which San José State won the Mountain West in 2020 while ranking No. 19 nationally in passing offense.

McGiven also served stints at Utah State in 2009 and from 2013-14. He also spent time as the offensive coordinator at Southern Utah, Weber State, Montana State and Oregon State.

McGiven, 48, is an Orem, Utah, native and Mountain View High School graduate (1995). He played one season at Eastern Arizona Junior College and later played wide receiver at Louisiana Tech before finishing his bachelor's degree in business from Utah Valley in 2001.

Scalley's first-year staff will also feature former Utah linebackers coach Colton Swan as the team's defensive coordinator.