SALT LAKE CITY — Less than 24 hours after a 44-22 win over Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl, ushering in the Morgan Scalley era for the Utes with a win, Utah will be looking for a new offensive staff.
Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck, who was with the program for a season, accepted the same position at Michigan to follow former Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham. Beck made the news official to the team in the locker room following Utah's bowl win.
Whittingham confirmed national reports of the move on ESPN's "College GameDay" Thursday morning, saying the move is "huge for us" at Michigan. "He's a guy that's moving the football and scoring points," Whittingham added.
Kyle Whittingham added during his interview on ESPN that "a bunch of other guys" on the Utah staff will follow Beck.
Beck's departure won't be the last for the Utah offensive staff, who is expected to lose offensive line and assistant head coach Jim Harding, tight end coach Freddie Whittingham, wide receiver coach Micah Simon and offensive analyst Koy Detmer Jr. to Michigan.
The lone holdover is running back coach Mark Atuaia, who joined the program ahead of the 2025 season. Atuaia announced on social media platform X last week that Scalley wanted him to remain on staff as the team's running back coach.
On Wednesday, Scalley told assembled media at the Las Vegas Bowl that his program is already prepared for changes that will be coming, whether that be coaches or player in the transfer portal, which opens up officially on Jan. 2.
"This is a big time profession, and if people don't think that we've already been planning, already been looking for the next step, then they don't know us," Scalley said. "So we will be prepared for whatever is to come, and we are excited for those that want to be Utes. And bottom line is we hope all these guys in that locker room continue to be here."
In the one season that Beck served as Utah's offensive coordinator, he lifted Utah to be one of the best offenses in the country. His offense ranked fifth in the country in average points scored (41.3 points) and fourth in the country in total offense (482.9 yards).
He also helped Utah to school records in total rushing yards (3,462 yards) and rushing touchdowns on the season (41).
