University of Utah Football

Head Coach 1st Year/19 th Year on Staff Morgan Scalley enters his first season as head coach of the Utah football program in 2026, coming off a 44-21 victory...

FootballSkip AdPataialii, AJAtuaia, MarkBlakney, RyanBreckterfield, InokeBumphis, ChadBurton, BrandonConti, DomConti, VinceCookus, JakeDelp, KammyElliss, Luther Fogal, JordanGerke, AlexGross, JordanGunderson, RyanHavili, StanleyMcGiven, KevinNelson, RyanOdum, DerrickPataialii, AJPhillip, MarvinScalley, MorganShah, SharrieffSwan, ColtonTillett, IsaacWatkins, QuincyWells, Luke

FootballSkip AdGerke, AlexAtuaia, MarkBlakney, RyanBreckterfield, InokeBumphis, ChadBurton, BrandonConti, DomConti, VinceCookus, JakeDelp, KammyElliss, Luther Fogal, JordanGerke, AlexGross, JordanGunderson, RyanHavili, StanleyMcGiven, KevinNelson, RyanOdum, DerrickPataialii, AJPhillip, MarvinScalley, MorganShah, SharrieffSwan, ColtonTillett, IsaacWatkins, QuincyWells, Luke

FootballSkip AdBurton, BrandonAtuaia, MarkBlakney, RyanBreckterfield, InokeBumphis, ChadBurton, BrandonConti, DomConti, VinceCookus, JakeDelp, KammyElliss, Luther Fogal, JordanGerke, AlexGross, JordanGunderson, RyanHavili, StanleyMcGiven, KevinNelson, RyanOdum, DerrickPataialii, AJPhillip, MarvinScalley, MorganShah, SharrieffSwan, ColtonTillett, IsaacWatkins, QuincyWells, Luke

Wide Receivers 1st Year Chad Bumphis will return to the Utah football program as wide receivers coach, head coach Morgan Scalley announced in January 2026. B...

Defensive Coordinator (1st Year) / Linebackers (8th Year) Colton Swan enters his first season as defensive coordinator and his eighth season as Utah’s lineba...

Safeties 1st Year Utah football head coach Morgan Scalley tabbed Derrick Odum to coach the Utes' safeties heading into the 2026 season. Odum, a Utah alumnus ...

Dom Conti is in his second season with the Utah football program and his first as special teams analyst. He spent the last year as special teams administrato...

FootballSkip AdTillett, IsaacAtuaia, MarkBlakney, RyanBreckterfield, InokeBumphis, ChadBurton, BrandonConti, DomConti, VinceCookus, JakeDelp, KammyElliss, Luther Fogal, JordanGerke, AlexGross, JordanGunderson, RyanHavili, StanleyMcGiven, KevinNelson, RyanOdum, DerrickPataialii, AJPhillip, MarvinScalley, MorganShah, SharrieffSwan, ColtonTillett, IsaacWatkins, QuincyWells, Luke

Special Teams Analyst/Kickers & Punters & Snappers 2nd Year Jake Cookus is in his second season as Utah’s special teams analyst/kickers & punters & snappers coach in 2025. He joined the Utes' staff for the 2024 campaign, following 8 years at Oregon State, his Alma mater. Cookus led the Beavers' special teams for the final seven years of his tenure as OSU's special teams coordinator, leading several players to conference and career highs. Seven Beavers earned All-Pac-12 special teams honors during his coaching stint, led by Anthony Gould and Silas Bolden sweeping the conference return honors in 2022. It marked the first time a team swept both punt and kick return honors during the Pac-12 era. Gould led the nation with 18.57 yards per punt return and scored two TDs in 2022 on the way to being named a multiple-team All-American Under Cookus' tutelage, Luke Loecher averaged a school-record 46 yards per punt in his career and set the OSU single-season record averaging 47.1 yards per punt in 2021. Loecher was also second with a 46.2 average in 2022. OSU led Pac-12 with 41.68 net average per punt in 2022. The Beavers tied for second in the Pac-12 with two punt blocks in 2020. Cookus was promoted to full-time special teams coach on Dec. 7, 2017 at Oregon State. He was the Beavers' quality control analyst for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Prior to Oregon State, Cookus spent time on the coaching staffs at Hawai'i (2015), Montana (2013-14) and Weber State (2005-11).

Jordan Fogal is entering his second season as Utah Football's defensive quality control assistant. Fogal helps with weekly opponent scouts, along with practi...

Offensive Line 1 st Year Utah alumnus Jordan Gross has been tabbed to coach the team's offensive line, joining Morgan Scalley's staff in January 2026. Gross ...

Delp is in his fourth season with the University of Utah football program and currently serves as the running backs graduate assistant coach for the 2025 sea...

Offensive Coordinator 1 st Year Kevin McGiven has been named the offensive coordinator of the Utah football program by head coach Morgan Scalley . McGiven, w...

Tight Ends 1st Year Veteran offensive mind Luke Wells joined Morgan Scalley's staff as tight ends coach in January 2026. He joined the Utes after spending the 2025 season as the tight ends coach at Kansas State and brings experience from four Big 12 Conference programs. Wells rounds out Scalley's staff for his first season at the helm of the Utah program and brings more than two decades of coaching experience to Salt Lake City. While at K-State, Wells oversaw the development of tight end Garrett Oakley, who was tabbed as an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection in 2025. Oakley, a 2024 all-conference second-team honoree, recorded 38 receptions for 389 and six touchdowns in 2025 – each of which marked career bests. Oakley ranked ninth among Big 12 tight ends with 35.4 receiving yards per game and tied for the conference lead in touchdowns. Wells served as the tight ends and inside wide receivers coach at Texas Tech from 2019-21, helping three players from his position rooms earn All-Big 12 accolades. Tight end Donta Thompson and inside receiver Dalton Rigdon were recognized by the league in 2019 while inside receiver KeSean Carter earned honors in 2020. Wells spent four years at Utah State prior to his time in Lubbock. He served as the Aggies' co-offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator from 2013-16, working with the tight ends the first three years and quarterbacks in 2016. He shifted back to overseeing Utah State's tight ends and inside receivers his final two season

Defensive Tackles 5th Year Former Utah All-American Luther Elliss enters his fifth season as the Utes’ defensive tackles coach after being named to the role in January 2022. In his time with the program, Elliss’ players have earned five All-Conference and two Freshman All-America awards. In 2025, Elliss' group was led by Jonah Lea'ea (38 tackles, 2.5 TFL) and Aliki Vimahi (30 tackles, 2.5 TFL), helping a group that ranked 16th in scoring defense, allowing just 18.7 points per game. Anchored in the middle by the duo of Junior Tafuna and Keanu Tanuvasa, the Utes began a new era in 2024 in the Big 12. Both picked up All-Conference laurels after Utah posted a top-three conference ranking in total defense, points allowed and TFL per game, while also placing fourth in the Big 12 in rushing defense. With that duo of players instrumental in 2023, the defensive tackles room put on a season that culminated with the program’s 10th straight season of bowl eligibility—even as the injury bug hit virtually every position group on the team. Tafuna was voted Pac-12 All-Conference for the third straight season, while Tanuvasa earned CFN Freshman All-America Honorable Mention. Utah was once again among the nation’s toughest teams to beat on the ground. With the guys in the trenches leading the charge, the Utes had the fourth-leading rushing defense in FBS allowing 82.8 yards per game. It included 3.1 yards allowed per rush attempt, ranking sixth-fewest of all Power Conference programs. As a gro

Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs 2nd Year Mark Atuaia is set to enter his second season as the running backs coach with Utah in 2026, also adding assistant head coach to his role this year. In his first season with the Utes in 2025, Atuaia's charges were led by Wayshawn Parker, who ran for 981 yards on the way to Third Team All-Big-12 honors. The Utes set a new school record with 3,462 rushing yards, passing the 1984 team, which racked up 3,263 yards on the ground. Utah also set a new program best with 41 rushing touchdowns in Atuaia's first season, surpassing the 2022 team's 38. Atuaia spent the previous three seasons as the running backs coach and associate head coach at Washington State. At Washington State, Atuaia had been integral in the development in the run game the past three seasons for the Cougars. In 2024, he coached true freshman Wayshawn Parker to post 735 rushing yards on 137 carries (5.4 ypc) with four touchdowns to earn a spot on the Pac-12 Football "Top Performers" list. In 2023, he also mentored a young nucleus that included three of the top four running backs on the team being underclassmen. That trio averaged 5.28 yards per carry that season with Washington State also setting a season-high of 229 rushing yards against Northern Colorado. During his first season at Washington State in 2022, Atuaia mentored junior Nakia Watson to an All-Pac-12 year after he recorded 769 yards on the ground with nine touchdowns. Watson finished the season ranking fourth in

FootballSkip AdPhillip, MarvinAtuaia, MarkBlakney, RyanBreckterfield, InokeBumphis, ChadBurton, BrandonConti, DomConti, VinceCookus, JakeDelp, KammyElliss, Luther Fogal, JordanGerke, AlexGross, JordanGunderson, RyanHavili, StanleyMcGiven, KevinNelson, RyanOdum, DerrickPataialii, AJPhillip, MarvinScalley, MorganShah, SharrieffSwan, ColtonTillett, IsaacWatkins, QuincyWells, Luke

Quincy Watkins is entering his second season with Utah Football as a defensive graduate assistant, working primary with the safeties. Watkins is key in devel...

Ryan Blakney joined the Utah staff in 2019 as an offensive analyst, making the move from Vanderbilt where he worked the previous four seasons with Utes offen...

Quarterbacks 1st Year Gunderson is set to enter his first season as quarterbacks coach with the Utes in 2026, after most recently spending three seasons (2023-25) as offensive coordinator at Oregon State. Gunderson's Beaver offense averaged 390.6 yards per game in 2024, including 189.2 on the ground. Anthony Hankerson finished with 1,082 rush yards, the 19th 1,000-yard season in OSU history and Trent Walker caught 81 passes for 901 yards after coming into 2024 with just five career receptions. Prior to Oregon State, Gunderson served as the quarterbacks coach at UCLA in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The Bruins averaged 241.2 passing yards per game during his tenure and UCLA QBs threw for 73 touchdowns, while averaging better than 7 yards per pass attempt in 2023 and 229.1 yards per game Gunderson guided Dorian Thompson-Robinson to a UCLA record 69.6 completion percentage in 2022, rating sixth in the nation. Thompson-Robinson completed his UCLA career as the program’s record holder in total offense (12,536), completions (860), touchdown passes (88), passing yards (10,710) and quarterback starts (48). Gunderson spent the 2017-20 seasons as the quarterbacks coach at San Jose State and added passing game coordinator to his title in 2018. He was a 2019 Broyles Award nominee for top assistant coach in the nation, before helping the Spartans to the 2020 Mountain West Football Championship, the team’s first outright title since 1990. SJSU was also ranked twice in the CFP and finished the regul

FootballSkip AdNelson, RyanAtuaia, MarkBlakney, RyanBreckterfield, InokeBumphis, ChadBurton, BrandonConti, DomConti, VinceCookus, JakeDelp, KammyElliss, Luther Fogal, JordanGerke, AlexGross, JordanGunderson, RyanHavili, StanleyMcGiven, KevinNelson, RyanOdum, DerrickPataialii, AJPhillip, MarvinScalley, MorganShah, SharrieffSwan, ColtonTillett, IsaacWatkins, QuincyWells, Luke

Associate Head Coach/Cornerbacks/Special Teams Coordinator 15th Year Sharrieff Shah enters his 15th season coaching the Utah cornerbacks, eighth year as special teams coordinator, while also adding associate head coach to his role in 2026. His first foray into special teams came as co-coordinator during the 2016-18 seasons. Nationally respected for his ability to evolve with the game, Shah was cited by ESPN.com in 2014 as one of “10 coaches who adapt and thrive.” He has helped his players do the same, developing five cornerback converts into NFL players. Shah has a long-running reputation of developing top pass defenders. During his tenure leading the Utes corners, 12 All-Conference accolades have been earned—headlined by 2022 unanimous All-America choice, Jim Thorpe Award finalist and fourth-round NFL Draft pick Clark Phillips III. Shah's 2025 group was led by Second Team All-Conference selection, Smith Snowden, who tied for fourth in the Big 12 with 11 passes defended. The Utah cornerbacks also helped limit opponents' progress through the air, ranking No. 5 in the FBS in passing efficiency defense, 15th in interceptions (14) and 16th in scoring defense. The Utes kicked off a new era in 2024 with the program’s entry into the Big 12 Conference. Led at cornerback by Zemaiah Vaughn, the team ranked 19th in the nation and third in the Big 12 with a pass efficiency defense of 112.20. The Utes also were third in the league at 20.7 points per game. With Shah mentoring him over five

FootballSkip AdHavili, StanleyAtuaia, MarkBlakney, RyanBreckterfield, InokeBumphis, ChadBurton, BrandonConti, DomConti, VinceCookus, JakeDelp, KammyElliss, Luther Fogal, JordanGerke, AlexGross, JordanGunderson, RyanHavili, StanleyMcGiven, KevinNelson, RyanOdum, DerrickPataialii, AJPhillip, MarvinScalley, MorganShah, SharrieffSwan, ColtonTillett, IsaacWatkins, QuincyWells, Luke

Vince Conti began his association with the Utah Football program in 2009, and is in his 12th season with the team in 2020. It is his second season as the tea...