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  "path": "/sports/2026/05/03/utah-utes-football-assistant-coaching-salaries-2026/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-04T01:18:05.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.deseret.com",
  "tags": [
    "According to Utah’s financial year 2025 report",
    "USA Today reported",
    "helped Utah’s athletic department turn a profit in an era when doing so is rare."
  ],
  "textContent": "The University of Utah will be paying its football assistant coaches at least a combined $6,075,000 in Morgan Scalley’s debut season as the Utes’ head coach, a public records request by the Deseret News shows.\n\nIn his first season as Utah’s head coach, Scalley will be making a base salary of $5.1 million and general manager Joe D’Orazio will earn in $350,000, bringing Utah’s total base salary for football coaches to $11,525,000 before any performance-based bonuses are paid out.\n\nHow does that number compare to the 2024 season, when Utah paid its assistant coaches the most in the Big 12 Conference?\n\nAccording to Utah’s financial year 2025 report, football assistant coaches received a total of $9,025,939 in the 2024 season, a figure that includes bonuses and benefits paid by the university. USA Today reported that Utah’s assistant coaches earned a combined $8,275,000 in base salary in 2024.\n\nHead coach Kyle Whittingham was set to make a $6,525,000 base salary in the 2024 season. Utah reported a total compensation of $8,032,313, including salary, bonuses and benefits paid by the university and third parties, such as apparel partner Under Armour and Utah multimedia rights holder JMI.\n\nThough it’s not an apples to apples comparison due to bonuses and benefits being factored in for the 2024 season, it helps illustrate that the school will be paying less for its coaching staff this season than in the Whittingham era.\n\nA big difference is in the salaries for offensive and defensive coordinators.\n\nIn 2024, Utah was paying longtime offensive and defensive coordinators Andy Ludwig and Scalley a combined $4,050,000. In 2026, offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven will make $1,100,000 and defensive coordinator Colton Swan will earn $850,000 — a savings of $2,100,000.\n\nWhile the university handsomely pays its football coaches, the return on investment has been high.\n\nDespite a losing season in 2024, Utah’s football program brought in $101,799,480 for the athletic department with $51,792,175 in total operating expenses. That $50,007,305 profit, along with $63.3 million in donations from boosters, helped Utah’s athletic department turn a profit in an era when doing so is rare.\n\n### Salary and contract details for Utah’s assistant coaches in 2026\n\n**Kevin McGiven, offensive coordinator**\n\nYears at Utah: First year\n\nSalary: $1,100,000, increasing to $1,200,000 in 2027 and $1,300,000 in 2028\n\nContract length: Through Dec. 31, 2028\n\n**Colton Swan, defensive coordinator/linebackers**\n\nYears at Utah: 8\n\nSalary: $850,000, increasing to $875,000 in 2027 and $900,000 in 2028\n\nContract length: Through Dec. 31, 2028\n\n**Sharrieff Shah, cornerbacks/special teams**\n\nYears at Utah: 15\n\nSalary: $800,000\n\nContract length: Through Jan. 31, 2028\n\n**Jordan Gross, offensive line**\n\nYears at Utah: First year\n\nSalary: $600,000\n\nContract length: Through Jan. 31, 2028\n\n**Luther Elliss, defensive tackles**\n\nYears at Utah: 5\n\nSalary: $550,000\n\nContract length: Through Jan. 31, 2028\n\n**Inoke Breckterfield, defensive ends**\n\nYears at Utah: First year\n\nSalary: $425,000\n\nContract length: Through Jan. 31, 2028\n\n**Mark Atuaia, running backs coach**\n\nYears at Utah: 2\n\nSalary: $400,000\n\nContract length: Through Jan. 31, 2028\n\n**Derrick Odum, safeties**\n\nYears at Utah: First year\n\nSalary: $400,000\n\nContract length: Through Jan. 31, 2028\n\n**Luke Wells, tight ends**\n\nYears at Utah: First year\n\nSalary: $400,000\n\nContract length: Through Jan. 31, 2028\n\n**Joe D’Orazio, general manager**\n\nYears at Utah: First year\n\nSalary: $350,000\n\nContract length: Through Jan. 31, 2027\n\n**Chad Bumphis, wide receivers**\n\nYears at Utah: 3 (2021-2022, 2026)\n\nSalary: $300,000\n\nContract length: Through Jan. 31, 2028\n\n**Ryan Gunderson, quarterbacks**\n\nYears at Utah: First year\n\nSalary: $250,000\n\nContract length: Through Jan. 31, 2027\n\n###\n\n###",
  "title": "How much are Utah football’s assistant coaches paid in 2026, and how does it compare to the Kyle Whittingham era?"
}