Longtime Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham isn’t sure if he’ll return for the 21st season

Utah’s Kyle Whittingham is unsure if he will return to the program for a 21st season as head football coach in 2025.

Whittingham spoke about his future in his press conference on Monday.

Whittingham, 65, has been the head coach at Utah since 2005. He joined the program in 1994 and previously worked as an assistant coach and defensive coordinator. He took over as head coach in 2005 after Urban Meyer led the Utes to consecutive Mountain West championships, including a 12-0 season in 2004 that ended with a victory over Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl.

Meyer left Utah for Florida, leaving the program to Whittingham. Twenty seasons later, Whittingham is tied with Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy as the second-longest tenured coaches in college football behind Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz (26 years).

Whittingham has coached the Utes to a 166-86 record, which includes seven seasons with more than 10 wins and 17 seasons with a winning record. He coached Utah to another undefeated season in a 13-0 season in 2008 that ended with a Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama.

Utah was not selected to play in that year’s BCS championship game, where Florida beat Oklahoma for the national title. The Utes finished No. 2 in the final AP poll behind Florida (13-1) despite securing the only undefeated season in the FBS.

Utah took a step back this season and enters Saturday’s season finale against UCF with a 4-7 record and a seven-game losing streak. The Utes are 1-7 in Big 12 play in their first season in the conference. Whenever Whittingham decides to step down, there will be a succession plan.

Defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley is the designated head coach and is expected to take over when Whittingham retires. Whittingham addressed Scalley’s role should he decide to return for another season.

“I can tell you now that Coach Scalley will be involved in future decisions,” Whittingham said. “It is only right that he does this because he is the coach in waiting. And when the time comes, we will ensure that he has influence on important decisions.”

“It’s going to be a team effort when it comes to hiring, recruiting and things like that.”