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Former head coach of the Utah Utes, Kyle Whittingham.

Utah Utes head coach Morgan Scalley did not hide his emotions when asked about Kyle Whittingham’s departure from Utah and the abrupt end to the handoff that had been years in the making.

In a recent sitting with On3, Scalley revealed his honest feelings on the present Michigan Wolverines head coach, his former mentor.

“I love Kyle Whittingham,” he revealed to On3. “That guy helped me believe in myself as a defensive football player. I was an offensive guy that he ended up switching to defense.”

Whittingham had mentored him through his entire career, giving him “opportunity after opportunity”. Scalley also pushed back on any suggestion he helped force the move, saying there was “no way” he had anything to do with pushing Whittingham out.

“I was 100 percent loyal to him and have nothing but respect and love for him,” Scalley added.

Whittingham formally stepped down as Utah’s head coach on Dec. 12 after 21 seasons, ending one of the most durable runs in the sport. Utah said at the time he would coach the Las Vegas Bowl, but Michigan later reached an agreement to bring him in immediately, shifting the timeline.

Kyle Whittingham’s Chaotic Exit to a Morgan Scalley’s New Start

GettyDevon Dampier and head coach Morgan Scalley of the Utah Utes celebrate with the championship trophy.

Scalley described the days after the original retirement announcement as chaotic because Utah had to prepare for a bowl game, monitor the transfer portal and manage the risk of staff departures at the same time.

“It was super chaotic,” he said, because the Utes had expected Whittingham to coach his final game before Michigan changed the equation. Whittingham’s exit to Ann Arbor came immediately.

“The fortunate thing is the players really stepped up to the plate,” Scalley said. “They answered the bell, and that’s what gets missed in all this — how much the players really committed to winning that game.”

Utah’s 2026 outlook has already been shaped by the coaching change, with offensive line coach Jim Harding following Whittingham to Michigan and the Utes trying to replace major production up front after an 11-win season.

“Did I know he would go to Michigan? No. Did I feel like he could go coach somewhere? One hundred percent,” Utah head coach said. “He’s a good coach. And if I’m in Kyle’s shoes, he’s got to do what he feels is best for Michigan.”

Morgan Scalley Wishes to Create His Own Dynasty at Utah

GettyMorgan Scalley intends to create his own dynasty at Utah.

Scalley has already shown he intends to lead Utah with both continuity and his own identity.

In March, he and his wife pledged a $2 million gift to the football program, with Scalley saying the university had been “an extremely important and influential part” of his life and that the family wanted to show “faith in and commitment to the future.”

On the field, Utah’s spring reports suggest the program is settling into a new phase under Scalley. The team completed its 15 spring practices in April and the coach has already been evaluating personnel, including a new offensive line group and quarterback Devon Dampier’s command of the offense.

“My language and the culture we’re building here just builds off of Kyle,” Scalley said. “I wouldn’t say it’s distinctly different. It’s just my way, my viewpoint.”

The larger takeaway is that Scalley’s feelings about Whittingham are rooted in loyalty, not resentment. He called Whittingham a mentor and made clear he was never trying to accelerate the end. However, he has also moved quickly to establish that it will be his program, built on Whittingham’s foundation but shaped by his own decisions.