Kyle Whittingham Says He Was ‘Treated Very Fairly’ By Utah Administration
Dec 28, 2025, 9:05 PM | Updated: 9:13 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – Former Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham has no hard feelings after signing a five-year deal to lead the blue-blood Michigan Wolverines into the future.
Whittingham was introduced as the 22nd head coach in the University of Michigan’s history on Sunday, December 28, after leading Utah for 21 seasons.
Yeah, we're fired up and ready to work! #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/qJSMtc0jQ9
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) December 29, 2025
The affable coach reflected his past few days with his opening statement in maize & blue, “If I’m a little bleary-eyed, I apologize. I can say without question, what an honor it is to be here. What a privilege it is to be able to coach this football team, the University of Michigan.”
Whittingham thanks Utah after departure
Kyle Whittingham was quick to thank his former home.
“I am grateful to our administration, staff, players, and coaches for their commitment, trust, and hard work throughout the years,” Whittingham said. “This university and football program mean a great deal to me, and I am proud of what we have built together. I appreciate the support from the University of Utah, allowing me to step away at this time.”
Kyle Whittingham: The Man Who Redefined The University of Utah
Kyle Whittingham on how he was treated by Utah administration the last two weeks:
“I was treated very fairly by the administration. It was my decision to step down. I felt the time was right… The University treated me nothing but good there.”
— Steve Bartle (@BartleKSLsports) December 28, 2025
He continued, “I also want to thank our fans. Your loyalty, passion, and support have been second to none. Whether at Rice-Eccles Stadium or representing Utah across the country, you have made this time special and created memories that will last a lifetime.”
Kyle Whittingham on how he was treated by Utah administration the last two weeks:
“I was treated very fairly by the administration. It was my decision to step down. I felt the time was right… The University treated me nothing but good there.”
— Steve Bartle (@BartleKSLsports) December 28, 2025
Whittingham finished, “Utah will always hold a special place in my heart, and I wish Coach Scalley and the program a smooth transition and continued success moving forward. Thank you for everything.”
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Longtime Utah football head coach signs five-year deal with Michigan
A 9-3 team in 2025, the Wolverines finished 19th in the College Football Playoff.
The blue-blood coaching opportunity is available after head coach Sherrone Moore was dismissed following accusations of an affair with a football team staffer.
Kyle Whittingham has quite the résumé 👀 pic.twitter.com/13SleysmBW
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) December 28, 2025
With his career concluded, Whittingham stood atop the school’s record books as its all-time winningest head coach with 177 wins — no previous coach even comes close. Under his watch, Utah posted a winning record in 18 of 22 seasons, including a run of 10 straight winning seasons from 2014 to 2023.
RELATED: Whittingham Takes The Reins Of Michigan Wolverines
Whittingham made his allegiances clear when asked about the Big 10 rival, the Ohio State Buckeyes.
"I do now… I'm on the right side of the deal now" 😂@UMichFootball's new Head Coach Kyle Whittingham when asked if he dislikes Ohio State 〽️🌰 pic.twitter.com/9LZMZ7ho6x
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 28, 2025
Since 2020, the Wolverines have won nearly 80 percent of their games, won three Big Ten Championships, one national title, and sent 42 players to the NFL.
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Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
