Josh Pate Names CFP Contender Set To Regress After Coaching Change

The Utah Utes have been one of the most consistent programs in college football over the last two decades.

Urban Meyer established that consistency with back-to-back double-digit win seasons in 2003 and 2004. His defensive coordinator during that time was Kyle Whittingham. When Meyer left, following a 12-0 season in 2004 and took the Florida Gators job, Whittingham was tabbed to take over.

In the next 21 seasons, Whittingham had just three losing seasons and eight double-digit win seasons. He also won three conference titles, one in the Mountain West and two in the Pac-12. But, like Meyer, Whittingham elected to leave. He took the head coaching job at Michigan.

But as the Utes did with promoting Whittingham from defensive coordinator to head coach, Utah elected to do the same, by promoting Morgan Scalley from defensive coordinator to head coach. He had served in that role since 2016, and spent his whole coaching career at Utah, starting in 2007 as a graduate assistant.

Utah Utes quarterback Devon Dampier (4) throws the ball. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While Josh Pate is high on Scalley as the head coach, he's not sure the Utes will improve this upcoming season. He said on "Josh Pate's College Football Show" that it's just hard to improve on a double-digit win season.

"Utah was 10-2 last year," Pate said. "Utah, I would lean worse record-wise this year than last year, but I think this is going to be a good team this year. It's just hard to improve on 10-2. You've got a new head coach there, although Morgan Scalley has been there forever."

The thing Scalley has going for him is that the defense has been the strongest unit for Utah during this time frame, and there shouldn't be much change with him staying on board. On top of that, they were able to retain star quarterback Devon Dampier.

He threw for 2,490 yards, 24 touchdowns and five interceptions, while rushing for 835 yards and 10 scores last season. He's proven to be one of the better dual-threat quarterbacks in college football. On top of that, Utah is playing in the Big 12.

That conference isn't as strong as the Big Ten or SEC, meaning it's fairly wide open for them to have another big season.

Then you look at the schedule. Utah's toughest non-conference game is against arguably the worst team in the SEC, the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Utes also avoid the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Arizona State Sun Devils, the last two Big 12 champions.

They do face the BYU Cougars, who played for the Big 12 title last year, but that's a rivalry game at home. Iowa State is the other typical tough team they will play, but they also lost their long-time head coach, so it's unclear what the Cylones will be like this season.

Needless to say, there are a lot of things going Utah's way to be even better in 2026, and compete for a Big 12 championship and College Football Playoff berth.

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