Report: Morgan Scalley Receives Significant Raise In Contract Update
Sep 23, 2022, 12:36 PM | Updated: 12:51 pm
Utah Defensive Coordinator/Safeties coach Morgan Scalley walks around the field prior to Utah and UCLA playing a college football game in Salt Lake City at Rice Eccles Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019. Courtesy of Deseret News.
SALT LAKE CITY – According to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Utah defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley’s received another significant contract upgrade.
Over the next three years Scalley is set to receive $1.4 million making him one of the highest-paid assistant coaches in the Pac-12.
The contract also includes a $4.2 million buyout if head coach Kyle Whittingham is replaced and Scalley is not retained as the defensive coordinator.
Our defense has been STINGY! 😤😤
NCAA Ranks:
Total Pass Yards – 2nd
Pass Yards/game – 2nd
Passing Efficiency Defense – 4th
Yards/game – 9th
Total Yards – 11th@Utah_Football | #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/acVPiTQ7m1— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) September 20, 2022
The updated contract still does not include a “coach-in-waiting” title for Scalley which he lost in 2020 after it was discovered he used a racial slur to a recruit in 2013. A private, third party firm investigated the situation in 2020 interviewing 35 people who reported being surprised by the text while also reporting having a good relationship with Scalley.
Utah’s Defensive Stats In 2022
Scalley has largely been regarded as one of the best defensive minds in all of college football. Between having an ability to help find and coach up under-the-radar talent like linebacker Devin Lloyd or safety Julian Blackmon, to putting forward an overall nasty defensive unit year-in and year-out, there are few that do it better than Scalley.
2022 appears to be no different for the Utes despite the less than impressive start against Florida where Utah missed 27 tackles- nearly triple their usual average. Despite that game, Utah currently ranks second in the country in pass defense with opponents only averaging 90 yards per game. They are also 24th in the country in scoring defense with 14.3 points per game allowed.
In the Pac-12, Utah’s defense is dominating, leading the conference in passing defense (90 yards per game), team passing efficiency defense (80.85 yards per game) and total defense (236.3 yards per game).
Utah’s defense will face their next test on Saturday starting Pac-12 play against Arizona State. The game will take place at Sun Devil Stadium at 8:30 p.m. MT/7:30 p.m. PT on ESPN.
