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LAS VEGAS — Morgan Scalley passed his first test as Utah's head coach, and he did it with a multitude of distractions in the final week leading up to the Las Vegas Bowl — none of which had to do with actually playing a game in Sin City.
But the glow of victory quickly fades as he faces several questions about his team's future for the 2026 season — most of which revolves around player and coach retention, especially after former head coach Kyle Whittingham took over at Michigan.
Already, Utah's offensive coordinator Jason Beck has been the target of Michigan for the same position and could potentially attract other suitors from the Utah coaching staff and on its roster should he leave.
That could include Utah's starting quarterback Devon Dampier entering into the transfer portal, among others.
Many of those conversations (and deal makings) started even before Utah stepped foot into Allegiant Stadium Wednesday afternoon. But Scalley said he's ready for whatever is to come now that the 2025 season has officially concluded.
"This is a big time profession, and if people don't think that we've already been planning, already been looking for the next step, then they don't know us," Scalley said. "So we will be prepared for whatever is to come, and we are excited for those that want to be Utes. And bottom line is we hope all these guys in that locker room continue to be here."
None more than the player who was sitting to Scalley's right in the postgame press conference, Dampier.
But Dampier sidestepped a question about his future, simply deferring the conversation to his focus being on the bowl game and sending out the seniors with a win. His future, he said, will be something to announce at a later date, even though he told the ESPN broadcast that he likes wearing the color red.
Will it still be Utah red?
Whether Dampier leaves the program, or any other player or coach, Scalley said he already has a plan, and that Utah is, ultimately, bigger than just one person, himself included.
"This program will always be bigger than one person," he said. "It will be continued to be Utah football, and not the Morgan Scalley — this is the culture, it's all about the players, it's all about the team. I'm grateful to be in a position where I can help lead; at the same time, you're only as good as your players and you'll never outperform the leadership that's provided by them."
It'll take a "strong culture," he said, to "withstand change," but he believes Utah is set up to be successful in the current era of college football, especially with the leadership and structure that has been a standard at Utah for years.
"That's the one thing about this place that is special in an environment, in this day and age of college football, where everyone's telling these young men to get theirs," he said. "Teams will continue to win championships, not individuals, and so it's always going to be about the team at the University of Utah. Change is going to happen; that's just the environment we're in in college football, but your culture has to be strong enough to withstand it."
That culture and plan will be put to the test in the coming hours and days, especially when the transfer portal open up on Jan. 2.
