Will Devon Dampier play for Utah in 2026?

Looking at the timeline of events that could impact Dampier's decision to stay or leave Salt Lake City

Utah Utes quarterback Devon Dampier (4) helped guide the team to a 10-2 record in the 2025 regular season. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Devon Dampier's future with the Utah football program beyond 2025 has been a hot topic since the regular season ended in November.

And with the latest developments regarding Kyle Whittingham's departure for Michigan, speculation around Dampier's next move has only grown stronger among Utes fans.

Dampier followed an electric 2024 campaign at New Mexico with an even more impressive 2025 season at Utah, becoming the first Utes quarterback to throw for over 2,000 yards (2,180) and rush for over 600 yards (687) in a single season since Alex Smith accomplished the feat in 2004. Dampier's dynamic play style fueled Utah's offense, as the Utes averaged 41.1 points per game and 478.6 total yards of offense per game, ranking No. 6 in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Whether Dampier decides to run it back with Utah in 2026 remains to be seen, though. With Whittingham off to Ann Arbor, Michigan, it wouldn't be a surprise to see some of Utah's assistant coaches follow suit — which could, in theory, impact Dampier's outlook with the Utes if the Wolverines poach members of the staff he's got strong connections with.

Let's take a look at the timeline of events that could indicate whether Dampier stays or goes.

'I'm Big On Staying'

Dampier made his intentions of staying with the Utes for his senior season clear during a Dec. 3 appearance on ESPN 700 radio with Sean O'Connell.

"I'm big on staying on honestly," Dampier said (around the 27:23 mark). "I have no intentions to leave so, I'm pretty settled right now."

Dampier added his anticipation of being named a captain for the 2026 squad, as well as his role in recruiting players to Salt Lake City and desires to face off against BYU again.

Announcement Apparently Delayed

About two weeks after sharing his intentions over the airwaves, Dampier reiterated how happy he was to play for the Utes, and that an announcement involving Byrd Ficklin was in the works.

During a Dec. 15 media availability session, Dampier clarified that an update on his future was delayed because Ficklin, who re-signed with Utah for the 2026 campaign earlier in December, had his contract leaked before their plans came to fruition.

"Y'all going to see," Dampier said when asked if he was coming back for the 2026 campaign. "It's great. I'm very happy to be here."

"[Ficklin and I] were trying to do something special, but his [return] got a little leaked out before we could get to it. But it's coming."

Dampier made those comments about three days after Whittingham announced he was stepping down from his position with Utah.

Jason Beck Tied To Michigan Rumors

With Whittingham taking over, it tracked that Michigan's staff would have some Utah connections in due time. Apparently, Utes offensive coordinator Jason Beck was among the names on Whittingham's target list as he prepared for the next stage of his coaching career.

CBS Sports reported on Dec. 26 that Whittingham was expected to target Beck to be his offensive coordinator with the Wolverines. Beck joined Utah's staff following a stint at New Mexico, where he and Dampier formed a tight bond that carried over into the 2025 campaign with the Utes.

Dampier has voiced his vote of confidence in Morgan Scalley's ability to lead the program into the future, though his connection with his offensive coordinator has been apparent, too.

"I think I'm comfortable if Scalley steps in as head coach," Dampier said during the aforementioned radio appearance. "Obviously, me and Beck — I trust him more than anyone else. So those are two pretty big steps for me to stay here."

Whittingham's Confidence In Michigan's Current QB Situation

Whittingham made his prioritization of getting his new players and high school recruits on the same page clear during his introductory press conference as head coach of the Wolverines, noting that he'd met with the team and coaching staff shortly after agreeing to a five-year contract with the school on Dec. 26.

Among the notable meetings Whittingham had upon his arrival in Orlando for the Citrus Bowl, where Michigan will face Texas on Dec. 31, was with freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, whose future with the program was put into question following the firing of Sherrone Moore.

Underwood, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class, started all 12 regular season games and completed 61.1% of his passes for 2,229 yards, nine touchdowns and six interceptions. He also had 323 rushing yards and five scores on the ground.

"Quarterbacks got to have that 'it' factor, and Bryce has the 'it' factor," Whittingham said. "His ceiling is very high; the offense we're going to bring in here, I think, is going to suit him to a tee."

If Whittingham does in fact bring Beck with him to Ann Arbor, Michigan, then Underwood's athleticism and skillset would make him an ideal fit in Michigan's future offense. As he's done with Dampier, Beck incorporates his quarterback's dual-threat capabilities into his play-calling, maximizing the throwing and running abilities of his signal-caller while keeping opposing defenses off-balanced with a variety of quarterback run and run-pass option plays.

Bottom Line

It appears that Whittingham is intent on keeping Underwood around for next season. It's also sounding like Beck could be making a move north to join Whittingham with the Wolverines.

If his trusty offensive coordinator jumps ship again, but the team he leaves for already has a starting-caliber quarterback on the roster, would Dampier sacrifice playing time so he could be with Beck and Whittingham for his senior season? It'd be a complicated scenario for all parties involved to sort out, and one that'll likely unfold over the first few days of 2026.

The two-week transfer portal window, set to open Jan. 2, will provide Dampier, if he so chooses to, an opportunity to examine his options outside of Salt Lake City. If Beck decides to follow Whittingham to Michigan after Utah's bowl game, then it wouldn't come as a shock to see Dampier's name pop up in the portal.

However, based on Michigan's quarterback situation and Dampier's desire to play for the Utes, it'd also make sense for him to continue to build off what he established over the course of his first season with the program.