In a season dominated by firings and hot seats, one college football coach chose his own exit. After 21 seasons in the big chair, Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham stepped away. But Whittingham fans don’t need to pen a farewell note just yet. That’s because he is not hanging up the coaching boots.

“Whittingham is not retiring, and could seek other coaching opportunities, a source tells @TheAthletic,” reported The Athletic analyst Stewart Mandel on December 12. “He went 177-88, with three conference championships, two Rose Bowls and an undefeated season in 2008.”

Whittingham announced Friday, December 12, he will step down as Utah’s head coach following the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31. At 66, Whittingham closes a 21-year run with the Utes, leaving as the school’s all-time wins leader with 177 victories.

“The time is right to step down from my position as the head football coach at the University of Utah,” Whittingham said in a news release. “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 has been calling the shots at Utah since December 2004, taking over for Urban Meyer, and has been part of the Utes’ staff since 1994. Heading into this season, he was ranked as the second-longest tenured head coach in Division I, trailing only Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz.

Back in 2020, he signed a contract extension through the 2027 season. In Utah, he earned just shy of $7 million, $6,925,000, not including bonuses, which ranks No. 4 in the Big 12 Conference. His bonus for the team’s bowl appearance is said to be $100,000 less than otherwise called for under the contract.

A year ago, Whittingham revamped his contract. Previously slated for a five-year stint as a special assistant to Utah’s athletics director at $995,000 per year, the new deal bumped his pay to $3.45 million annually for a two-year term.

Since Whittingham himself stepped down, the Utes got lucky not to have a hole in their pocket. If the opposite had happened, they had to pay $8,333,333, which ranks as the No. 52 most expensive buyout out of the 105 as per USA TODAY’s review and No. 11 in the Big 12 Conference.

“I’m not sure exactly what his next immediate step will be,” said the head coach’s son, Alex Whittingham. “When I conversed with him, he said this is not going to be full-on retirement. He still has that competitive fire.”

When Whittingham took over from Meyer, Utah was a fragile Fiesta Bowl-winning program. He turned that spark into a dynasty, highlighted by the legendary 2008 season. Under Whittingham, the 2008 season came with a perfect 13-0, a Sugar Bowl upset of Alabama, and a No. 2 national finish, the highest ever for a non-BCS team. It shook college football and led to Utah’s Pac-12 invite.

Whittingham is the man who redefined the Utah program. Will his successor be able to do justice?

The chance finally came for Kyle Whittingham to take over

Throughout his tenure, Whittingham guided Utah through two major conference shifts, from the Mountain West to the Pac-12 in 2011. Then, to the Big 12 in 2024 and found success at every stop, including back-to-back Pac-12 titles and Rose Bowl trips in 2021 and 2022. 

Whittingham, FBS’s second-longest tenured head coach, has claimed three national Coach of the Year awards, highlighted by the AFCA and Bear Bryant in 2008 and the Dodd Trophy in 2019. So, the bar is too high for whoever steps into his shoes. Looks like Utah already had someone in mind for a long time.

Morgan Scalley was named “head coach in waiting” in July 2024. Scalley pulled in $2.1 million in 2025 and will see that jump to $5.1 million when he officially becomes Utah’s head coach.

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Well, Scalley had an “almost taking over” moment last month. After taking over Kansas State in Week 13, Whittingham poured his heart out in the press release.

“We’re so happy for our seniors to go out with a win in their final opportunity,” said the head coach. “Excuse me, when I think about the seniors, I get emotional, so I apologize, but it’s just so awesome for them to have that experience.”

What concerned Utah fans were the familiar faces in the crowd- Whittingham’s wife, Jamie, and other family members. So, they feared a farewell soon. Yet, nearly a month later, the coach made his decision.

Kyle Whittingham may be ending his Utah tenure, but a big regret remains. The Utes couldn’t clinch the Big 12 spot even after needing just one result to be in their favor. Is that what’s keeping him from retiring?