Kyle Whittingham is one of the longest-tenured and most successful head coaches in college football. The Utah head coach has delivered multiple Pac-12 titles to Salt Lake City, making the Utes a consistent top-25 team. After receiving a contract extension in 2022, what is Whittingham’s salary, contract, and net worth entering the 2023 college football season?
Kyle Whittingham’s Salary and Contract in 2023
Under the terms of his 2022 contract extension, Whittingham received a substantial base salary increase. As a result, his base salary as Utah’s head coach for 2023 will be $4.7 million. That is a $200,000 increase compared to the previous season. However, his actual total salary, as we’ll explain below, is $6.2 million.
Each year following will see an additional $100,000 increase. For example, from 2023 to 2024, Whittingham’s base salary will increase by $300,000, making him a flat $5 million base for the 2024 college football campaign.
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These increases mean, should he see the full term of his contract without a further extension, that Whittingham’s salary for 2027 will be $6.5 million. The deal averages out to be worth $5.3 million in base salary alone through the course of the contract.
The five-year contract extension signed in 2022 will run through the 2027 CFB season. The Utah head coach will be 68 then, having previously stated a desire to hang up the headset and clipboard once he turns 65.
Whittingham’s Net Worth
Calculating Whittingham’s salary is easy. As a public university, the details of his contract aren’t hidden like at a program such as Air Force or USC. The Trojans have been used as an example because it gives a good benchmark for the Utah head coach’s worth relative to his conference opposition.
With David Shaw out at Stanford — another private university that doesn’t declare contract details — it is thought that Whittingham is the second-highest-salaried coach after USC head coach Lincoln Riley. Whittingham’s net worth goes beyond his basic salary, however.
In addition to the base salary he receives each season, Whittingham receives an extra $1.5 million from LEARFIELD and Under Armour as part of the university’s media partnership and outfit agreement. So, his actual salary for the 2023 season is $6.2 million.
This doesn’t take into account potential bonuses that Whittingham can bolster his salary and net worth with. Utah has a robust bonus policy for their head coach, including $400,000 for appearing in a New Year’s Six or College Football Playoff game, $150,000 for appearing in the final AP or CFB Playoff Top 25, and $150,000 if he’s named National Coach of the Year.
Whittingham is also financially rewarded for academic success within the football program. If the Utes team’s APR (Academic Progress Rate) is at least 950, the head coach gets a $10,000 bonus that can increase to $75,000 if the team hits a 980 APR.
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Additionally, he can net another $75,000 if the team’s GSR (Graduation Success Rate) is 80%. In 2022, the team hit both of those markers, with a 93% GSR and 991 APR. Based on similar success in the 2022-2023 academic cycle, Whittingham would have earned $800,000 in bonuses for the just completed season.
The Utah head coach also gets a $25,000 retention bonus each year that he remains employed as the head coach. This is triggered on Jan. 15 each year and must be paid on or before March 1 of the same year. Whittingham’s salary and net worth once again receives a nice boost.
In addition to quantifiable bonuses, Whittingham’s salary and net worth have some other substantial benefits. His children receive a 50% tuition benefit for attending the school, while his grandchildren — under some stipulations — receive a 100% reduction in their in-state undergraduate base tuition.
Whittingham also receives an automobile, the option of a second automobile or $1,200 monthly stipend, membership to the Salt Lake Country Club, 28 Utah football season tickets, a private stadium box for all football home games, eight season tickets for the Utes’ basketball team, as well as a parking pass for both.
Finally, under the terms of Whittingham’s contract, the university has pledged to make specific improvements to the football facilities. Failure to act upon those within a specific time frame results in a one-time payment of $100,000, paid within 60 days of the deadline that has been missed.
If you base Willingham’s net worth on an average salary of $6.8 million per year over the course of the next five years, the Utah head coach is worth $34 million — not accounting for potential bonuses. Given the success that he’s achieved for the program, it might be a small amount to pay.
