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Nov 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham watch the team warm up before the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Did Utah Mistreat Kyle Whittingham? New Michigan Coach Breaks His Silence

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics
By Ajayi Olamilekan | Last updated Dec 31, 2025 2:34 AM ET

Kyle Whittingham, the new University of Michigan head football coach who spent 32 years with the Utah Utes program, shut down speculation Sunday about being pushed out of Salt Lake City.

The 66-year-old addressed questions about his departure during his introductory press conference in Orlando, where Michigan prepares for the Citrus Bowl against Texas.

Whittingham stepped down from Utah two weeks ago after going 177-88 in 21 seasons as head coach. His departure timing, coming just as Michigan needed a replacement for the fired Sherrone Moore, raised questions about whether Utah’s administration wanted to clear the way for defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley, who was named head coach-in-waiting in July 2024.

The coach made it clear that walking away from Utah was entirely his choice. He explained how he nearly left a year earlier but refused to end things on a sour note after the Utes went 5-7 in 2024. Whittingham’s comments came via a video clip posted on X by Sam Farnsworth of KTVX.

Did Kyle Whittingham feel mistreated at all by Utah as he stepped down two weeks ago? He answered that question this morning at his Michigan introductory press conference.#GoUtes #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/N9vPSGQsJC

— Sam Farnsworth (@Samsworth_TV) December 29, 2025

Whittingham explains why he considered leaving Utah after last season

Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham and quarterback Cameron Rising (7) lift the PAC-12 Football Championship trophy following the victory against the Southern California Trojans at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Whittingham told reporters that he almost stepped away before the 2025 season but decided against it because of how bad things went the year before.

“Yes, I have. The administration of the university for my entire time there has been very supportive and they treated me well,” Whittingham said. “Again, it was my decision to step down, and just felt again that, you know, the time is right. And I’ve seen too many coaches hang on too long and gosh, why didn’t he retire two or three years ago, that type of deal.”

The coach described Utah’s 2024 season as particularly frustrating. The Utes cycled through five quarterbacks and finished with a losing record for just the second time during his tenure.

“So in fact, I contemplated stepping down before last season, but we had such a frustrating season. We were on our fifth quarterback at the end of the year, and just so frustrating that I just could not end on that note,” he said.

Whittingham returned for 2025 and led the Utes to a 10-2 finish in their first Big 12 season. That rebound gave him the exit he wanted.

Whittingham signed a five-year deal with Michigan worth $8.2 million annually. He admitted making a mistake at Utah by talking too openly about retirement plans, something he will not repeat in Ann Arbor.

This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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