Morgan Scalley Looks to Contiune Historic Season at Utah Against No. 14 Houston

Morgan Scalley came to Utah as a student of the game. Throughout nearly two decades of service in Salt Lake City, none of that has been lost along the way. The first-year Utah Utes coach is still energized about growing and developing talent for the next level.

When Kyle Whittingham hired him in 2006, he knew there was a career path to learn from one of the best coaches in the game. Over the years, Scalley knew how to get where he wanted to go. The "Utah Man" strived to be a head coach and take the route less traveled, which is the safe one. Scalley worked his way up the ranks and the process is now starting to pay off.

The Utes have cracked the top 10 with a 6-0 record. Scalley, who took over for Whittingham prior to Utah's 44-22 Las Vegas Bowl game win over Nebraska, is now the only coach in school history to be 7-0 to start a tenure.

Whittingham was set on building Utah's reputation as being a constant contender. Scalley adopted the model and has taken the work into a new generation. Some of the areas needed to be modernized and that's what happened with the transition of power. Whittingham was the second-longest tenured coach in the country before he left Salt Lake City. With the struggles becoming more immense at Michigan, there's somewhat of an indication that Whittingham could've been holding on for too long.

Scalley waited for his moment and finally got it. He didn't have to get ready to take over as head coach because he stayed ready for the opportunity.

“I’m a preparer. I want to make sure that I’m not caught off guard. I want to make sure that I’ve got contingency plans,” Scalley told the Deseret News prior to the season. “So, throughout my years coaching, whether it’s camps, out on the road recruiting, scouting, watching film of other opponents, I just kept track of people I thought that did a great job, who I thought were very good coaches.”

Scalley took care of business and hit the ground running. He took notes, along with making an effort to keep up with his peers in different coaching circles, which made Whittingham's quick and easy departure less bumpy. With his own staff now in place and the Utes off to an outstanding start, there's no question Scalley was the right choice for "coach-in-waiting" in Salt Lake City.

Read More: Morgan Scalley Named to National Coach of the Year Watch List

The Utes players have full belief in Scalley. Since becoming head coach, the wins are evident in recruiting and player engagement. Utah's 2027 recruiting class is one of the best over the past decade with a few months left. Also, the existing players are raving about Scalley and his staff and how it feels like a family atmosphere. It's clear there are changes happening with the Utes to shed the past with an evolving culture.

No. 10 Utah returns home to face No. 14 Houston on Saturday. The latest edition of Big 12 After Dark will kick off at 10:15 p.m. ET on ESPN. This will be a special week on campus with College GameDay broadcasting live starting at 9 a.m. ET.