For 21 seasons, Kyle Whittingham’s identity was Utah football’s identity. Now, the man tasked with preserving that legacy isn’t an outsider but one of his own. The Utes promoted their defensive coordinator, Morgan Scalley, to replace Whittingham. But in his first head-coaching gig, he wants a piece of what his former boss built to continue at Utah.

“Culture was the number one thing for me. And just different things around a program, like how to interact with your players, strength and conditioning program,” Scalley told David Pollack on the See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack podcast. “Everything we do in the weight room, to me, has to be making them into a better football player, not just a better weightlifter. So, different things here and there, but ultimately, the toughness and the physicality, the family environment, and all that Kyle emphasized are alive and well.”

Morgan Scalley joined the program in 2007 as a graduate assistant. He worked his way up the ladder and became the defensive coordinator in 2016. And that’s not the only hat he has donned at the Utes. Scalley has served as the safeties coach, recruiting coordinator, and even a special teams coordinator under Whittingham.

His promotion didn’t surprise many because the program has been thinking of a succession plan. Perhaps the most surprising thing was that Whittingham took another job instead of retiring. At the end of the 2025 season, he was emotional in his final press conference, which was read as a sign that he is retiring.

In July 2024, Utah AD Mark Harlan formally announced Scalley as their “head coach in waiting.” The program saw a leader who could carry forward their culture and tradition in their defensive coordinator. And while much of the credit in building that culture goes to Coach Whittingham, Scalley also played a pivotal role.

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Scalley built the defense at Utah

After his promotion as the DC, Utah’s defensive brand of football came into fruition, finishing every season since with a winning record (except for a forgettable 5-7 finish in 2024). He even finished as a finalist for the Broyles Award in 2019. During the season, the Utes were second in total defense in the FBS.

Last season, the Utes ranked 17th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 18.9 points per game. They narrowly missed out on the championship game and finished the season with an 11-2 record. That consistency comes down to the culture and identity he has instilled in the Utah defense, often characterized by RSNB: Relentless, Smart, Nasty, and Ballhawks. And if you see a snap of his defense, all those traits are there.

In that vein, his promotion is more of a continuation than a fresh start. Utah similarly trusted Whittingham in 2005, which proved fruitful. With a 177-88 record, multiple bowl game wins, and three conference titles, including Mountain West (2008, undefeated) and back-to-back Pac-12 Championships (2021 and 2022), the Utes certainly enjoyed their time with him.

And now, all eyes are on how Scalley will do. If he manages to get Utah to a winning season, it would count as a victory. After all, one must remember that it is his first season as a head coach.