Kyle Whittingham reveals he might have retired had Utah won the Big 12 in 2024

It’s rare that a head coach gets to go out on a high note. At the same time, everyone wants to leave when they’re still at their best and winning championships. That’s certainly the case for Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham, who has been facing rumors of retirement following a difficult 2024 season.

The end appears to be on the horizon for Kyle Whittingham. However, after missing out on a bowl game in 2024 as he transitioned the Utes into the Big 12, he admitted that he couldn’t retire just yet.

“I couldn’t step away on that note,” Kyle Whittingham said. “It was too frustrating and too disappointing.”

There is a circumstance where last year could have been the last one for Whittingham. Had Utah been able to win a conference championship in their first season in the Big 12, then that may have been a note worth stepping away from. They didn’t, though, going 5-7 overall and 2-7 in Big 12 play. So, he’s back for his 21st season with the program.

“Had we won the championship last year,” Whittingham added. “I might not be sitting here.”

Kyle Whittingham has made himself into a legend with Utah. In 2005, he replaced Urban Meyer, who was on his way to coach at Florida. Whittingham had previously been the team’s defensive coordinator and has been with the program in some capacity since 1994. Since then, he’s led Utah from the Mountain West to the Pac-12 and now the Big 12. He’d win a conference title in the Mountain West and twice in the Pac-12.

For his career, Whittingham has put together a record of 167-86. He also has eight AP Top 25 finishes. Now, he’s hoping to add one more conference championship in the Big 12 with a turnaround next season.

When the time does come for Kyle Whittingham to retire, Utah does appear to have a coach in waiting to replace him. In July of 2024, Utah made the move to announce defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley would be the team’s next coach in waiting. That means that, when the time does come for Whittingham does step away, there won’t be a coaching search to replace a legend. Instead, there will hopefully be similar success under a coach who has worked under him and in the Utah program.

Before any of that, though, Utah will open the 2025 season with a road trip against UCLA. They’ll later begin Big 12 play by hosting Texas Tech, which could potentially be the first game on the way to a championship.