The University of Utah announced on Wednesday, July 1 that they would be reinstating safeties and defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley after an outside firm conducted an investigation stemming from a text Scalley sent in 2013 containing a racial slur. 

Both former and current players came to Scalley’s defense when he was put on suspension at the beginning of June. According to the firm Husch Blackwell LLP who conducted the investigation, 35 individuals, including 23 current and former members of the football team and 15 current and former employees and football program consultants were interviewed. 

But, Scalley’s reinstatement doesn’t come without some punishment. 

According to a letter released by Utah Athletics, “1) Coach Scalley will engage with leadership of the University’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team, including Vice President Mary Ann Villarreal. He will participate in regular and on-going diversity and inclusion education, and will be expected to be a key partner in addressing issues of racism and bias in the Utah Athletics Department, the University and the broader community.

2) In December 2019, the University and Coach Scalley verbally agreed to a multi-year extension of his contract, increasing his annual compensation to $1.1 million. Instead, his new contract will revert to his 2018 compensation level in the form of a one-year term for $525,000.

3) In December 2019, Director of Athletics Mark Harlan extended a verbal offer to Coach Scalley to become the Head Coach In-Waiting, which Harlan has now rescinded.”

“My message is simple but it’s sincere, and that is I am extremely sorry. First and foremost let me be clear, I am against racism of any kind and am determined to take an active role at the university and in my community in being a part of the solution and the change,” Scalley said. “I want to apologize to the young men I have coached and am coaching currently.”

Athletic director Mark Harlan thanked all the members of the community who helped in the investigation in a teleconference, as well as the current and former players who took the time out of their schedule to help with this. When asked about the future of Scalley’s tenure at the University he said that he doesn’t rule out the chance that Scalley could get his coach in-waiting title back.   

“I have great belief in Coach Scalley,” Harlan said. “Obviously going forward, as he stated in his opening comments, there is a lot of work to be done by him and I have high expectations that he will do that and do more, and probably do stuff that we aren’t even seeing. I believe in the future that Coach Scalley can do, of which we have talked a lot about in the last couple days can all be acomplished.” 

According to Harlan, the final decision to keep Scalley on the staff came down to himself and Whittingham.

Scalley addressed the situation showing remorse for the situation and shows to have grown from it as well. Scalley stated he has reached out to as many former players and teammates as possible to apologize for his actions. When asked if the three weeks had been rough for him, Scalley was nothing but honest.  

“How I feel doesn’t matter as much as the hurt I have caused others,” Scalley said in the teleconference. “My focus has been on repairing damages I have made to relationships, whether it be teammates, former players, current players, anyone in the community, that’s been my focus. 

Head coach Kyle Whittingham also spoke on the conclusion of the investigation stating, that even though the investigation went on longer than they would have liked, he was elated to have Scalley back on the staff of the team. 

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