Ute Insiders

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After eight long months, football season is finally here.

The Utes kick off the 2026 campaign against Idaho on Thursday (7 p.m. MDT, ESPNU), kickstarting the highly anticipated Morgan Scalley era.

The pressure is on for Scalley in his first year after longtime coach Kyle Whittingham “stepped down,” then took the Michigan job.

According to emails obtained by the Deseret News, Whitingham wanted to stay at Utah, but the school countered with a one-year contract for the 2026 season that would have given Scalley, the coach-in-waiting, “full and final oversight in decision-making for the areas of football recruiting/player personnel staffing and the general manager position effective Feb. 1,” which was after the 2026 transfer portal closed.

Utah and Whittingham could not come to an agreement terms on those terms and Whittingham stepped down, with Scalley being elevated to head coach.

Since Scalley took over, there’s been a new energy in the building. He’s said and done the right things, from overhauling the strength and conditioning program to changing up practices.

Starting quarterback Devon Dampier, backup quarterback and do-it-all player Byrd Ficklin, running back Wayshawn Parker, linebacker Jonathan Hall, cornerback Elijah Davis and safeties Jackson Bennee and Rabbit Evans all made the decision to stay at Utah, giving the Utes a solid base of returning contributors.

Scalley targeted defensive line, cornerback and receiver heavily in the transfer portal, giving Dampier what could be Utah’s best receiver group in a while. It features Utah State transfer Braden Pegan, who should be Utah’s WR1.

There are some question marks, though, namely a rebuilt offensive and defensive line — the performance in the trenches will be the make-or-break factor in the Utes’ season. The Utes also have two new coordinators: Utah State’s Kevin McGiven on offense and longtime linebackers coach Colton Swan on defense.

It all adds up to a very intriguing year for Utah.

National expectations for Scalley’s first season are high. Here’s a sampling of what college football pundits predict for the Utes in 2026.

Projected record/Big 12 finish: 10-2 with losses vs. BYU and at TCU; tied for third place in Big 12.

What they said: “This is Morgan Scalley’s program now, and he’s ready for the challenge. Considering his coaching career began with the Utes as a graduate assistant in 2007, Scalley’s been around for Utah’s wonder years under the previous regime. Now in charge, the philosophy doesn’t change — physicality first from the line of scrimmage out. With one of the top quarterback rooms in the country and a strong offensive line, the Utes will force the issue. And if they can beat Houston and BYU, a trip to the playoff is not off the table. Scalley’s first-year record at Utah could best what Kyle Whittingham manages to do at Michigan.”

Projected record/Big 12 finish: 7-5, ninth place in Big 12

What they said: “Utah’s Morgan Scalley, Kansas State’s Collin Klein struggle in Year 1. Two former program legends became first-time head coaches at their alma maters. Scalley retained star QB Devon Dampier but must deal with a lot of staff and player attrition. Meanwhile, Wildcats QB Avery Johnson has shown he has a low-ish ceiling.”

Projected record/Big 12 finish: 8.4 wins, third place in Big 12

What they said: “The schedule is friendly enough, with the Utes missing Texas Tech and hosting BYU. If the Utes are a top-25-level team as projected, they’ll be in the hunt all season. But it wouldn’t be a total surprise if the turnover in the offense and on both lines creates a bit more of a reset than SP+ expects. We’ll see.”

Projected Big 12 finish: Third place in Big 12

What they said: “Kyle Whittingham stepped down then took the Michigan job and took some key players with him. This year Utah has just four returning starters on (each) side of the ball, but do bring back both QBs and their top RB from the nation’s No. 2 rush offense. They do have five Big 12 road games and rate a -4.5 in my SMI. The rebuilt O-line and D-line are my biggest concerns.

Projected Big 12 finish: Fourth place in Big 12

What they said: “Utah underwent a major change when Kyle Whitingham stepped away after 21 seasons and accepted the head coaching job at Michigan. But Scalley has been groomed for the top spot and looks to provide consistency and continuity after several years with the program. He’ll have to do it with a new staff and 18 new faces on the roster in his first season, but his experience with the program should allow for a smooth transition as the Utes pursue a Big 12 title.”

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