It appears Morgan Scalley‘s heart is with Utah’s football program. The Utes’ head coach deposited a $2 million donation for his own team, the school announced on Thursday. The release doesn’t specifically state where or what the money will be used for, but college football is an expensive business and Scalley’s commitment is evident with this latest transaction.
The school released a statement from Scalley, previously Utah’s defensive coordinator, on just how much he values his alma mater, the only school he’s ever coached since his playing days from 2001 to 2004. Utah tapped Scalley, a former Utes defensive back, to replace Kyle Whittingham, who retired and subsequently jumped to the Michigan opening.
Morgan Scalley’s Statement
“This extraordinary commitment by Morgan and Liz Scalley speaks to everything that makes them special and demonstrates their absolute love for the University of Utah,” said Harlan. “Coach Scalley’s vision for the future of the Utah Football program is not just a dream, but something that he actively works to bring to reality every day. On behalf of the University and Utah Athletics, I want to express my gratitude for the generosity and commitment of Morgan and his family.”
Scalley and Utah are out to reproduce another winning season following an 11-2 finish to their final run under Whittingham. Scalley coached the team’s 44-22 win over Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Aside from the portal exodus following Whittingham to Ann Arbor, the Utes have achieved some key wins out of the gate with the retention of veteran quarterback Devon Dampier and the hire of former Utah State assistant Kevin McGiven as offensive coordinator in place of Jason Beck, now at Michigan.
Simply put, Scalley is putting his stake in football at Utah. It’s an investment for the long-term, whether or not this upcoming season tops 11 wins or not; He’s already under contract for five years at $5 million annually.
