Morgan Scalley salary: How much will Kyle Whittingham's successor make in Utah? Contract value, duration and more
The Utah Utes made a massive move for the program's future as they officially announced Monday that defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley will replace Kyle Whittingham as head coach whenever the latter decides to move on. The deal was signed on Nov. 23, 2023, per the school's press release.
Scalley had his pay cut in half and was stripped of his coach-in-waiting title for admitting to using a racial slur in a text message in 2020. But a contract obtained by ESPN said that Utah, on March 1, 2022, had raised Scalley's salary to $1.4 million annually over the course of a three-year contract. That made him one of the Pac-12's highest-paid assistant coaches.
The new deal extends Scalley as defensive coordinator through 2027, which is the year when Whittingham’s current contract runs out. Scalley’s base compensation as DC this year will rise to $2 million, and he will get a $100,000 raise in each of the next two years if Whittingham remains the coach.
With Morgan Scalley the head coach-in-waiting again, his salary is reportedly set to take a massive bump. ESPN reports that he will make at least $5 million annually when he takes over the Utah Utes.
Athletic director Mark Harlan discussed exactly why this move was made:
"We must plan for the future, and Coach Whittingham and I both strongly believe that that future lies with Morgan Scalley. Morgan has played a critical success through his embodiment of our core values and his leadership, and I have witness first hand his growth as a coach and as a person over the last several years.
"He is an elite coach...and whenever it is time for Morgan to take the helm, I have no doubt that our program will continue to have success." h/t The Athletic
What do we know about Morgan Scalley's head coaching contract?
Morgan Scalley has been one of the top assistant coaches in the country and has been a constant staple for the Utah Utes. Below is the breakdown of the minimum base salary on his new five-year contract, which will depend on when Kyle Whittingham decides to step away.
- Now-1/15/2025: minimum of $5 million
- 1/16/2025-1/15/2026: minimum of $5.1 million
- 1/16/2026-1/15/2027: minimum of $5.2 million
- 1/16/2027-1/15/2028: minimum of $5.3 million
- On or after 1/16/2028: minimum of $5.4 million
Scalley's salary when he becomes head coach will be comparable to Whittingham's. Per Yahoo, Whittingham has a base salary of $5 million this season. It will go up every year, topping out at $6.5 million in 2027, which is the final year of his deal.
There are also non-monetary benefits which include a membership to the Salt Lake Country Club and a $600 monthly car stipend.