Utah Football Names Defensive Coordinator Morgan Scalley Successor To Kyle Whittingham

SALT LAKE CITY – The future of Utah football became a little clearer Monday morning with defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley being named Kyle Whittingham’s successor which was first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

The news isn’t exactly a surprise as it has been long speculated that Scalley felt like a natural choice to keep the program rolling on its amazing trajectory. Thamel’s report which came in a post on X was shortly followed up by a post from Utah football declaring Scalley the “coach in waiting” for the Utes.

“Coach Whittingham has built Utah Football into one of the nation’s elite programs through a strong culture, tradition and exceptional student-athletes, and he has been clear about his intentions of continuing to lead this incredible Utah Football program as we move into the Big 12 Conference and into the new expanded College Football Playoff,” Utah Athletic Director Mark Harlan said. “However, we must plan for the future, and Coach Whittingham and I both strongly believe that that future lies with Morgan Scalley. Morgan has played a critical role in our success through his embodiment of our core values and his leadership, and I have witnessed first-hand his growth as a coach and as a person over the last several years. He is an elite coach who has been trained by the best – Coach Whittingham – and whenever it is time for Morgan to take the helm, I have no doubt that our program will continue to have success.”

Coach Scalley has been named our Head Coach In Waiting 🙌 @RSNBUtes https://t.co/kzmDD2tiKC pic.twitter.com/FHH5XYMyCC

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) July 1, 2024

As mentioned in Harlan’s statement, no specific timeline has been set for Whittingham’s exit from Utah football, but now the program has certainty in their future whenever that day may come.

Morgan Scalley’s Time With The Utes

Scalley knows what it takes to be a Ute because he was one, lettering for the Utes from 2001-04. Additionally, Scalley earned the 2004 Mountain West Co-Defensive Player of the Year while helping the Utes to their first-ever undefeated and “BCS Busting” season.

Scalley was also recognized as a second-team All-American (AP, Sports Illustrated) and unanimous first-team all-conference safety. Before the 2004 season, Scalley was named second-team All-MWC at defensive back in 2003 and an honorable mention All-MWC as a punt returner in 2001 and 2002.

On top of being a brilliant mind on the field, Scalley proved a capable body in the classroom too. Scalley ended up being a two-time first-team Academic All-American and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Utah in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, and later earned a Master’s in business administration from the U in 2006 while beginning his coaching career.

Scalley will be entering his 17th year on staff with the Utes under Head Coach Kyle Whittingham in 2024.

Sources: Utah is naming defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley as the successor to longtime coach Kyle Whittingham. Scalley will make at least $5 million per year as head coach when he’s elevated, per his latest contract. There’s no set timetable for Whittingham to leave. pic.twitter.com/aVZZRiYI8L

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) July 1, 2024

Scalley has led the Utes to finishes in the top-half of the Pac-12 in total defense seven times. Scalley’s defense also ranked second nationally and first in the league in 2019 while he quickly earned kudos as being one of the brightest defensive minds in the college game.

Under Scalley’s watch, Utah has finished in the Pac-12’s top rushing defense five times in the last eight years with top-five national rankings in 2018, 2019 and 2023.

Utah consistently finished at the top of the Pac-12 Conference in sacks and tackles for loss under Scalley with the most recent coming in Utah’s back-to-back Pac-12 Championship seasons (2021, 2022). Utah’s defense also finished the 2018 season ranked 11th nationally and first in the Pac-12 in sacks.

“Morgan Scalley is an exceptional football coach and his naming as the head coach in waiting at the University of Utah is a testament to that,” Whittingham said. “It is a distinction he has earned not only because of his outstanding coaching abilities, but also because of his selfless dedication to the program as well as to the Utah Athletics family. The culture and tradition within Utah Football is a point of pride for our staff, and when the time comes for a transition in the leadership of our program, we know that Morgan will carry on those traditions the Utah Football way.”

Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on X, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports

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