Devon Dampier addresses future at Utah following Las Vegas Bowl win vs Nebraska

Devon Dampier was asked whether he’d be back at Utah in 2026 following the Utes’ 44-22 win over Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl. Dampier’s answer may have added more questions than answers regarding his future.

“You know I love the color red,” he said. He held out the Utah chain that was around his neck and gestured it toward the camera.

The question was asked shortly before the NCAA transfer portal opens on Friday, Jan. 2. It would be asked the same way for any of the current Utes with remaining eligibility. Every Utah player at one point committed to Kyle Whittingham, who is now the head coach at Michigan.

It’s not unheard of for players to follow their head coaches to their next destination. Who follows him, and more importantly for the Utes, who stays in 2026 is the biggest question surrounding the program.

However, Michigan could already be filled at the quarterback position. Whittingham, who was on-hand in Orlando with the Wolverines at the Citrus Bowl, spoke highly of current Michigan QB Bryce Underwood.

Whittingham called Underwood “the right man to lead this football team,” referring to Michigan. He also revealed that he’s met Underwood’s family and said that he carries himself the right way.

What that means for Dampier remains to be seen, and the same could be said for Underwood. For now, Dampier at least is enjoying the bowl win with his teammates — and for good reason.

Nebraska has no answer for the Utah QB all afternoon. He finished the game with 310 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. Dampier added 148 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns as well, ending the game with as Las Vegas bowl record of 458 total yards from scrimmage.

His efforts earned him MVP honors of the Las Vegas Bowl. Utah finishes the 2025 season with an 11-2 season as a result, and enters the offseason with a 1-0 record under new head coach Morgan Scalley.

“I think coach Scalley mastered in taking over the head coach job, allowing us to have fun but always allowing us to lock in when we needed to,” Dampier said of the new Utah coach. “For us to do that, I think it made us come out here full of energy and we were ready to play our hearts out for him to get his first win.”

Scalley has already taken over for Whittingham on a full-time basis. He’ll have a quick turnaround from winning his first game as a head coach to the NCAA transfer portal opening on Jan. 2. What Dampier decides to do during that time remains to be seen.