Kyle Whittingham led Utah football for 21 years. He'll step down after Las Vegas Bowl
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Kyle Whittingham led Utah football for 21 years. He'll step down after Las Vegas Bowl
John Leuzzi, USA TODAY NETWORK·USA TODAY Sports
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3 min read
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The long-awaited moment forUtah footballcoach Kyle Whittingham has come.
The legendaryUtescoachannounced on Friday, Dec. 12that Utah's appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 31 against Nebraska will be his final game coaching the program after three-plus decades in Salt Lake City, which includes his time as an assistant with the program.
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"The time is right to step down from my position as the head football coach at the University of Utah," Whittinghamsaid in a statementposted by the program's official X (formerly Twitter) account. "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."
Utah has had a succession plan in place at Utah since 2024,when the university announcedthat Utes defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley would be the coach in waiting when Whittingham decided to retire. The university confirmed on Dec. 13 that Scalley would take over as head coach.
As noted by USA TODAY's Scooby Axson in October,Whittingham will be given a post-retirement job as a special assistant to athletic director Mark Harlan that will pay him $3.45 million annually over the next two years.
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"The legacy that Kyle Whittingham leaves distinguishes him as one of the most impactful figures in the history of Utah Athletics," Utah athletic director Mark Harlansaid in a statement. "As the head coach or as an assistant, Coach Whitt played a pivotal role in the most historic and successful seasons inprogram history, and established championship expectations. 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 achievements with Utah Football."
7 years: Tyson Helton has been head coach at Western Kentucky since 2019 with a 55-34 record (.618) and six bowl appearances.
(Helen Comer/The Daily News Journal)
7 years: Chris Klieman has been head coach at Kansas State since 2019 with a 52-33 record (.612) and five bowl appearances.
(Patrick Mulligan, Getty Images)
7 years: Mike Locksley has been head coach at Maryland since 2019 with a 36-40 record (.474), not including his 1-5 stint as interim coach in 2015. He's lead the Terrapins to three bowl games.
(Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images)
8 years: Ryan Day has been head coach at Ohio State since 2018 with a 78-10 record (.886), six postseason berths, including the 2024 national championship.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)
9 years: Justin Wilcox has been head coach at Cal since 2017 with a 47-54 record (.465) and four bowl appearances.
(D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images)
9 years: P.J. Fleck has been head coach at Minnesota since 2017 with a 64-42 record (.604) and a 6-0 record in bowl games with the Gophers.
(Matt Krohn-Imagn Images)
10 years: Kelani Sitake has been head coach at BYU since 2016 with an 80-43 record (.650) and seven bowl appearances.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)
10 years: Kirby Smart has been head coach at Georgia since 2016 with a 112-20 record (.848), 10 postseason appearances and back-to-back national championships (2021-22).
(Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union)
10 years: Matt Campbell has been head coach at Iowa State since 2016 with a 69-55 record (.556) and seven bowl appearances.
(David Purdy, Getty Images)
10 years: Jason Candle has been head coach at Toledo since 2016 (he coached the 2015 Boca Raton Bowl) with a 77-44 record (.636) and seven bowl appearances (excluding the 2015 game as interim).
(Jordan Prather, Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)
11 years: Pat Narduzzi has been head coach at Pitt since 2015 with a 79-58 record and seven bowl appearances.
(James Gilbert, Getty Images)
12 years: Jeff Monken has been head coach at Army since 2014 with an 86-61 record (.585) with six bowl appearances.
(Danny Wild-Imagn Images)
12 years: Chris Creighton has been head coach at Eastern Michigan since 2014 with a 59-82 record (.418) and six bowl appearances.
(Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)
12 years: Chuck Martin has been head coach at Miami (Ohio) since 2014 with a 70-71 record (.496) and six bowl appearances.
(Chris Coduto, Getty Images)
13 years: Dave Doeren has been NC State head coach since 2013 with a 115-73 record (.612) and nine bowl appearances.
(Michael Caterina-Imagn Images)
13 years: Mark Stoops has been head coach at Kentucky since 2013 with an 80-78 record (.506) and eight bowl appearances.
(Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)
18 years: Dabo Swinney has been Clemson head coach since 2008 with a 183-52 record (.779), 17 postseason appearances, including 2016 and 2018 national championships.
(Ken Ruinard / Greenville News)
19 years: Troy Calhoun has been Air Force head coach since 2007 with a 137-95 record (.591) with 13 bowl appearances.
(Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)
22 years: Kyle Whittingham has been Utah's head coach since 2004 and has a 174-88 record (.664) with 17 bowl appearances.
(Ben Queen-Imagn Images)
27 years: Kirk Ferentz has been Iowa's head coach since 1999 with a 210-126 record (.625) and 22 bowl appearances.
(Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen)
1/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
7 years: Tyson Helton has been head coach at Western Kentucky since 2019 with a 55-34 record (.618) and six bowl appearances.
(Helen Comer/The Daily News Journal)
1/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
7 years: Tyson Helton has been head coach at Western Kentucky since 2019 with a 55-34 record (.618) and six bowl appearances.
(Helen Comer/The Daily News Journal)
2/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
7 years: Chris Klieman has been head coach at Kansas State since 2019 with a 52-33 record (.612) and five bowl appearances.
(Patrick Mulligan, Getty Images)
3/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
7 years: Mike Locksley has been head coach at Maryland since 2019 with a 36-40 record (.474), not including his 1-5 stint as interim coach in 2015. He's lead the Terrapins to three bowl games.
(Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images)
4/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
8 years: Ryan Day has been head coach at Ohio State since 2018 with a 78-10 record (.886), six postseason berths, including the 2024 national championship.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)
5/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
9 years: Justin Wilcox has been head coach at Cal since 2017 with a 47-54 record (.465) and four bowl appearances.
(D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images)
6/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
9 years: P.J. Fleck has been head coach at Minnesota since 2017 with a 64-42 record (.604) and a 6-0 record in bowl games with the Gophers.
(Matt Krohn-Imagn Images)
7/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
10 years: Kelani Sitake has been head coach at BYU since 2016 with an 80-43 record (.650) and seven bowl appearances.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)
8/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
10 years: Kirby Smart has been head coach at Georgia since 2016 with a 112-20 record (.848), 10 postseason appearances and back-to-back national championships (2021-22).
(Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union)
9/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
10 years: Matt Campbell has been head coach at Iowa State since 2016 with a 69-55 record (.556) and seven bowl appearances.
(David Purdy, Getty Images)
10/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
10 years: Jason Candle has been head coach at Toledo since 2016 (he coached the 2015 Boca Raton Bowl) with a 77-44 record (.636) and seven bowl appearances (excluding the 2015 game as interim).
(Jordan Prather, Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)
11/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
11 years: Pat Narduzzi has been head coach at Pitt since 2015 with a 79-58 record and seven bowl appearances.
(James Gilbert, Getty Images)
12/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
12 years: Jeff Monken has been head coach at Army since 2014 with an 86-61 record (.585) with six bowl appearances.
(Danny Wild-Imagn Images)
13/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
12 years: Chris Creighton has been head coach at Eastern Michigan since 2014 with a 59-82 record (.418) and six bowl appearances.
(Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)
14/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
12 years: Chuck Martin has been head coach at Miami (Ohio) since 2014 with a 70-71 record (.496) and six bowl appearances.
(Chris Coduto, Getty Images)
15/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
13 years: Dave Doeren has been NC State head coach since 2013 with a 115-73 record (.612) and nine bowl appearances.
(Michael Caterina-Imagn Images)
16/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
13 years: Mark Stoops has been head coach at Kentucky since 2013 with an 80-78 record (.506) and eight bowl appearances.
(Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)
17/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
18 years: Dabo Swinney has been Clemson head coach since 2008 with a 183-52 record (.779), 17 postseason appearances, including 2016 and 2018 national championships.
(Ken Ruinard / Greenville News)
18/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
19 years: Troy Calhoun has been Air Force head coach since 2007 with a 137-95 record (.591) with 13 bowl appearances.
(Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)
19/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
22 years: Kyle Whittingham has been Utah's head coach since 2004 and has a 174-88 record (.664) with 17 bowl appearances.
(Ben Queen-Imagn Images)
20/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
27 years: Kirk Ferentz has been Iowa's head coach since 1999 with a 210-126 record (.625) and 22 bowl appearances.
(Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen)
Whittingham took over the Utes program in December 2004 after Urban Meyer left to take the same position at Florida. Whittingham led the Utes to a 177-88 overall record, two Rose Bowl appearances, three conference championships and an undefeated, 13-0 season in 2008 that was stamped with a 2009 Sugar Bowl win over Nick Saban and Alabama.
He is the second-longest-tenured active coach in Division I FBS, as noted by Utah's news release, and has led the program to 17 bowl game appearances, including this year's Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska.
At 10-2 on the season, Utah is looking for its third season of finishing with at least 11 wins under Whittingham.
