Utah Football Adds Experienced Developer Luke Wells as Tight Ends Coach
Jan 6, 2026, 12:11 PM | Updated: 3:08 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah football continues shaping its coaching staff under new head coach Morgan Scalley, announcing the hiring of Luke Wells as the team’s new tight ends coach.
The move comes as Utah rounds out its offensive staff for the upcoming season, pairing seasoned position-group coaches with coordinator Kevin McGiven’s system to elevate offensive production.
“Luke brings a wealth of experience within the conference to our staff, which will be very beneficial,” Scalley said in the press release. “He has spent time coaching several position groups, is known for developing players and can help us in many different aspects offensively. I’m looking forward to welcoming him to the Utah family!”
Wells brings decades of offensive coaching experience — particularly with tight ends and inside receivers — from stops across the college landscape, including the Big 12, Mountain West, and Conference USA. Most recently, he spent time as the tight ends coach at Kansas State in 2025, working in a power-spread league and helping develop multi-dimensional pass-catchers.
“I am incredibly thankful for this opportunity from Coach Scalley to join his staff and be a part of the winning culture at the U,” Wells said. “I’m excited to be back in Utah and ready to get to work with this talented tight end room.”
Luke Wells brings experience to Utah
Utah’s tight end room has been a critical piece of its offensive identity — often serving as a mismatch weapon in both the run and pass games. Scalley’s choice of Wells signals the program’s intent to lean into a position that has become increasingly important in modern offenses for both blocking cohesion and red-zone efficiency.
Under Wells’ guidance in 2025, Kansas State’s tight end room impacted the passing game and run game. One of the most notable performers is junior tight end Garrett Oakley, who was a key threat all season.
At Texas Tech, he didn’t just coach tight ends — he had to lay the foundation of the room as Tech transitioned from a true air raid offense to more of a run-and-shoot that incorporated tight ends.
He recruited a mix of high school signees and junior college prospects, including players like Donta Thompson, Travis Koontz and Mason Tharp, to construct depth and skill in his unit, all of whom produced and received conference recognition under his watch.
Utah’s hire of Wells brings a coach with both frontline recruiting experience and a proven ability to develop the players he recruits into productive, often standout contributors — a valuable combination in today’s roster-fluid college football environment.
The Bottom Line
With Wells on board, Utah wants to continue to enjoy consistent production from the tight end position. This hire follows a series of staff additions as Scalley builds out his first full coaching roster, reflecting a blend of experience, adaptability, and recruiting know–how designed to support both the current roster and future pipeline.
