Utah coach Kyle Whittingham isn’t fully sold on stepping away from the game just yet.
Earlier this month, Whittingham announced he would step down as the Utes’ head football coach following the Las Vegas Bowl, ending a 21-season run leading the program.
Utes defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley is set to take over. But Whittingham made it clear his decision is not a traditional retirement and that his future remains open.
“Who knows? We’ll see, I guess, stepping down, stepping away and reevaluate things and see where we’re at,” Whittingham said. “I’m a free agent, I’m in the transfer portal.”
Kyle Whittingham on his future in coaching. I asked if this was a retirement, and he said, "Who knows? We'll see." Pic.twitter.com/vHfGIdIMLI
— Dana Greene (@dana_greene) December 18, 2025
Whittingham said the timing felt right and that he wanted to avoid lingering beyond his welcome, even if the decision came with mixed emotions.
He leaves Utah as the program’s all-time winningest coach with a 177-88 record and more than three decades of service overall, including roles as defensive line coach, defensive coordinator and head coach.
Athletic director Mark Harlan said earlier this month that Whittingham’s impact places him among the most influential figures in the history of Utah athletics. Coach acknowledged the pull of the profession remains strong.
“I don’t know if it’s ever out of your system,” Whittingham said. “It’s in your blood. … When you got coaching in your blood, it just doesn’t go away.”
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