Kyle Whittingham’s Departure from Utah
Kyle Whittingham had intentions to stay on as Utah’s head football coach.
However, just two weeks after leading the team to a victory over Kansas and wrapping up the season with ten wins, he announced his resignation. Shortly thereafter, he signed on to be the head coach at Michigan.
Documents released by Yahoo Sports reveal the shift in plans and the deterioration of relations between Whittingham and the school, stemming from a public records request.
Recognized as the most successful coach in Utes history, Whittingham has been part of the staff since 1994, taking the head coach position in December 2004.
After the regular season and before the Las Vegas Bowl, Whittingham communicated through his agent, Bruce Tollner, about his desire to stay. He made several requests, expressing his intentions.
Reportedly, Whittingham sought to raise his salary from $7.4 million to $9 million, enhance the NIL fund by $20 million, and allocate an additional $2 million for the coaching staff budget.
Three days later, Utah proposed a one-year, $8 million contract with conditions. Notably, it was indicated that Whittingham, who is now 66, would officially transition to a new role in July 2024, passing some responsibilities to defensive coordinator Morgan Scully.
This offer included making Scully the program’s general manager with complete oversight on recruiting and staffing decisions extending beyond 2026. Athletic director Mark Harlan was also set to approve some of Whittingham’s staffing choices.
Ultimately, that contract did not materialize. On December 12, Whittingham announced his resignation and later signed an agreement stipulating he would receive $13.5 million in three installments over two years as a transition bonus.
The separation agreement noted that in exchange for the bonus, he would assist the university in ensuring a seamless transition to the next head coach and his staff.
Whittingham joined Michigan on December 26, bringing along several staff members, such as offensive coordinator Jason Beck and strength coach Doug Elisaiah. He also signed four-star defensive back Salesi Moa from Utah’s roster.
Utah seemingly viewed this as a breach of the $13.5 million agreement. However, a letter from Harlan to Whittingham, obtained by Yahoo, indicated the school processed an $8 million payment in January.
The letter stated, “This is the first payment of a transition bonus that will be paid in three installments over the next two years. The University is disappointed in your actions recently. We believe your recruitment of coaches and staff to Michigan State contravened your employment agreement, which ensures a smooth transition for the program. We’ve decided that pursuing this matter further is not beneficial for the university or your legacy.”
The message concluded with a note of well-wishes for the future.
