Morgan Scalley: 5 interesting facts on Kyle Whittingham's replacement as Utah head coach

Morgan Scalley is set to replace Kyle Whittingham as Utah football's head coach

Morgan Scalley is set to replace Kyle Whittingham as Utah football's head coach. The 66-year-old legend announced on Friday that he is stepping down from his position and will retire. He led the program for 21 seasons, becoming the winningest coach.

"The time is right to step down from my position as the head football coach at the University of Utah," Whittingham said in a statement. “It's been an honor and a privilege to lead the program for the past 21 years and I'm very grateful for the relationships forged with all the players and assistant coaches that have worked so hard and proudly worn the drum and feather during our time here.”

Scalley was named Utah's head coach-in-waiting in July 2024. A Salt Lake City native and former Ute All-American safety, he is the next exciting thing happening in Utah right now. Here are five facts about the new coach:

Utah Lifelong Legacy: Scalley has spent his entire football life with the Utes, playing defensive back from 2001-2004, where he earned All-American honors and co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Mountain West, before joining the staff as an administrative assistant in 2006 and rising to defensive coordinator in 2016.

Broyles Award Finalist: In 2019, Scalley was a finalist for the prestigious Broyles Award, given to the nation's top assistant coach, after leading Utah to the No. 2-ranked total defense (289.9 yards allowed per game) and a Pac-12 championship.

Racial Controversy and Redemption: Scalley's 2020 head coach-in-waiting designation was rescinded amid an investigation into his use of racial stereotypes in texts to recruits (2013) and comments to players (2008); he was reinstated after an external review, took a pay cut, and was redesignated in 2024 following demonstrated growth.

Academic and Family Ties: A Magna Cum Laude graduate from Utah with a 3.96 GPA in mass communication (2004) and a master's in business administration (2006), Scalley is married to Liz Herrscher; they have three children, daughters Madeline and Emma, and son Andrew.

Contract Boost and Incentives: Scalley's new deal, signed November 2023 and extended through 2027, raises his salary to $2 million in 2024 (up from $1.4 million), with $5 million annually as head coach, plus bonuses like $166,666 for a bowl game and $10,000 for the Big 12 title game, per ESPN reports.