SALT LAKE CITY — University of Utah head football coach Kyle Whittingham will step down from the position following the team's upcoming bowl game on New Year's Eve.
Whittingham and the university made the announcement Friday, ending his tenure with the Utes after three decades, the last 21 seasons as head coach.
“The time is right to step down from my position as the head football coach at the University of Utah,” said Whittingham 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.
"The opportunity to guide so many talented young men as they pursued their goals—both on and off the field, has truly been a blessing."
Whittingham's final game will come in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31 against Nebraska. Defensive Coordinator Morgan Scalley was named coach in waiting last year and is expected to replace Whittingham, although the school has not yet officially named him as the team's new head coach.
As head coach, Whittingham led Utah to a 177-88 record and is the winningest football coach in school history, finishing 18 of his 21 seasons with a winning record. He also led the Utes to two Rose Bowls and three conference championships.
“As the head coach or as an assistant, Coach Whitt played a pivotal role in the most historic and successful seasons in program history, and established championship expectations," said Utah Athletics Director Mark Harlan. "Perhaps more importantly, he established a legacy of tremendous character, integrity and class. Kyle Whittingham will forever be appreciated and cherished for his leadership and achievement with Utah Football.”
Before being named head coach when Urban Meyer departed for the University of Florida, Whittingham served as Utah's defensive coordinator for 10 seasons, developing one of the toughest units in college football.
Whittingham won numerous coach of the year honors and has had 31 players selected in the NFL Draft between 2017-25.
The University of Utah shared the following Whittingham achievements:
- Utah finished with a winning record in 18 of his 21 years as head coach, including in 10 straight seasons from 2014-23.
- The Utes won 10 or more games in a season eight times under Whittingham (2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2025).
- His 11 bowl wins (11-6) ranked fourth among active coaches through 2023—a record that includes a 2-2 mark in New Year’s Six bowls.
- Wins over Pittsburgh in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl (co-head coach) and Alabama in the 2009 Sugar Bowl.
- The Utes appeared in every weekly CFP Top-25 ranking for the first three years of the playoff system (2014-16), and Utah is tied with Oregon for the seventh-most appearances of any school with 50.
- 35 Utah players earned All-America honors during his time as head coach, including 17 that made major All-America first-teams (those determining NCAA’s consensus team) with 10 earning consensus or unanimous honors.
- His players also earned a total of 105 first-team all-conference awards, including 60 in Utah’s 15 total seasons at the Power conference level. With Whittingham at the helm, Utah also had eight different players earn conference player of the year honors.
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