After Kyle Whittingham raised some questions about whether or not he would return to Utah for his 21st season, the Utes coach made his intentions for 2025 pretty clear.
In a memo issued by the Utah football team, Whittingham showed his sense of humor by simply issuing the message “I’m back.”
For those unfamiliar with the reference, Michael Jordan famously announced the end of his retirement and his return to the NBA with a fax sent to the media on March 18, 1995. All Jordan wrote in the statement was “I’m back.”
(Perhaps “Swoop Associates” is also a reference to Jordan. It is not referring to the Utah apparel contract, what is with Under Armor.)
And instead of using the “-30-” that reporters typically end articles with, Whittingham marked the end of his memo with “-21-,” presumably representing the 21st season he will coach in Salt Lake City next year. .
Utah finished 5-7 this season in its first year playing in the Big 12, just the third losing season Whittingham has recorded as a head coach.
Over 20 full seasons in Salt Lake City, Whittingham has compiled a 167-86 record since taking over from Urban Meyer in 2004. That includes seven seasons with 10-plus wins and 17 seasons with a winning record. In 2008, he coached Utah to a 13-0 season that ended with Alabama losing in the Sugar Bowl.
Defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley is the designated head coach-in-waiting and in line to replace Whittingham when he retires.