Kyle Whittingham’s Future Up In The Air, Morgan Scalley Is Vital To The Future Of Utah Football
Dec 2, 2024, 9:12 PM | Updated: Dec 4, 2024, 1:23 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - AUGUST 29: Morgan Scalley defensive coordinator of the Utah Utes watches play during the second hall of their game against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds at Rice Eccles Stadium on August 29, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah.(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY— Kyle Whittingham is in the twilight of his career and nearing retirement. He may or may not be at the finish line, but it is certainly in his sights.
He’s a legend in the industry and one of the most respected figures in the game. He’s left his mark on the Utah football program, and his legacy will forever be etched in the college football history books.
The good news is that Utah has a succession plan in place. Morgan Scalley has been named head coach-in-waiting, and there is much excitement about his future.
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Given all that he’s accomplished, Whittingham has earned the right to leave on his terms. There is probably some concern about moving on from a legendary figure like Whittingham.
Whenever Whittingham does decide to call it a career, Scalley is the right person to lead Utah into the new era of college football.
Morgan Scalley Is Vital To Utah’s Success
Scalley has worked incredibly hard to get to where he is. He has played a huge role in Utah’s success on the field and in recruiting.
He’s led the way in identifying prospects and developing them over the course of their careers. He has consistently guided defenses to top marks in the conference and across the country. That’s also led to a rather lengthy list of NFL players.
“First of all, Morgan Scalley is an exceptional football coach. He’s a proven commodity. He’s a Utah guy, played high school ball in the state of Utah, played at Utah, jumped right into coaching at the University of Utah when he was done playing. He’s invested in this program as much as anybody ever has been.” – Kyle Whittingham
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In this new age of college football, many coaches have lost their passion for the job. However, players love playing for him because he loves coaching his players.
Having Scalley become a more prominent leader has been paramount to creating buy-in and preserving as much of the family atmosphere as possible.
His energy and desire to lead this football program are special, and Utah cannot afford to jeopardize his future with the program.
A Utah Man Leading the Program?
Utah needs a head coach who can build upon Whittingham’s accomplishments, but also navigate the complexities of modern college football.
For a comparison, look no further than Kenny Dillingham in year two of his tenure at his alma mater.
Given Dillingham’s youth and experience, his hiring was met with equal parts excitement and concern. In addition to all of the issues he inherited from the previous regime, there were even doubts.
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However, Dillingham has completely reinvigorated the Sun Devils program. He has not just turned the program around; he’s turned his alma mater into a conference title contender.
He will be Arizona State to Dallas this weekend for the Big 12 Championship Game, which has them squarely in the mix for the College Football Playoff.
Every week, there’s a new sound bite about him pumping up the Arizona State NIL funds. He’s embraced the modern game and has built excitement around the program’s future.
Could Morgan Scalley do the same?
Scalley is a Utah Man through and through. He grew up a Utah fan, played for the program, and spent nearly 10 years in the defensive coordinator role.
“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.” – Mark Harlan
In many ways, he seems tailor-made for the head coaching position at Utah, and many believe in him as the program’s future head coach.
This isn’t to suggest that Scalley will replicate what Dillingham has done simply because both are alumni. Scalley has proven himself as a coach because he works relentlessly for results.
The two coach with tremendous energy and passion for their respective programs, and Dillingham has shown that that is worth betting on.
