Morgan Scalley is set to make his debut as the head coach of Utah during the upcoming Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska. This significant moment comes after Kyle Whittingham stepped down from his position to take the head coach role at Michigan.
Originally, Scalley”s first game was scheduled for September 3, 2026, when Utah was set to open the next season at home against Idaho. However, with Whittingham”s decision to accept the Michigan job, that timeline has shifted dramatically. Scalley will now lead the Utes on New Year”s Eve, marking a pivotal moment for both him and the team.
“I”m fired up. I”m excited. I mean, there”s going to be learning on the go. At the same time, I have complete trust in our coaching staff and our players. They”re locked in. They”re dialed in,” Scalley expressed during a press conference in Las Vegas. He also emphasized the team”s determination to finish the season strong, aiming for an 11-win total, a feat that has only been achieved three times in the history of Utah football.
Before the announcement regarding Whittingham”s new position came out, only three players had opted out of participating in the Las Vegas Bowl: offensive tackles Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, along with defensive end Logan Fano, all of whom are preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft. Scalley noted that he does not expect any additional changes to the roster for the upcoming game.
“No, and again, I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that the players have known that this has been coming,” Scalley remarked on Friday. His sentiments were echoed by senior offensive tackle Jaren Kump, who, despite not being coached by Scalley next season, is eager to secure a win for their new head coach on Wednesday. Kump stated, “I”m really happy for Coach Whitt, honestly, and I”m really happy for him to have this opportunity, but I”m also excited to be coached by Morgan Scalley and I”m going to tell our team “Let”s go get Coach Scalley”s first win on Wednesday.””
In reflecting on Whittingham”s legacy, Scalley conveyed his gratitude, stating, “Well, you never want to be the guy that follows the guy and unfortunately that”s me, but he got me into the profession. He got me to switch from offense to defense as a player. I”ve been with him since 2001. So I”m just grateful for everything he”s done for me personally and everything he”s done for the program.” He acknowledged the lessons learned from Whittingham, particularly the importance of prioritizing players over personal ego.
Reports from ESPN indicate that Whittingham informed the Utah team in Las Vegas about his decision to accept the job at Michigan before heading to Orlando for the Citrus Bowl against Texas. Kump mentioned, “What I do know is that I guess it was his initial intent to truly retire, but then he did express that if there were certain opportunities that came up, that he would think about those.”
As Scalley prepares for the bowl game, he is also working on assembling his coaching staff. Meanwhile, reports suggest that offensive coordinator Jason Beck and BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill are potential targets for Whittingham”s staff at Michigan. Despite these developments, Scalley remains focused on the immediate goal: securing that 11th win for Utah. “We”ve got an unbelievable staff that”s handled this thing the right way,” he said, highlighting the seamless transition amid the changes.
