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The University of Utah Athletics
Scalley Tabs Kevin McGiven as Offensive Coordinator
1/3/2026 5:00 PM | Football
25-year coaching veteran has spent 17 seasons coordinating NCAA Division I offenses, leading QB’s
SALT LAKE CITY — Kevin McGiven has been named the offensive coordinator of the Utah football program, head coach Morgan Scalley announced on Saturday. McGiven, who spent the 2025 season leading the offense at Utah State, has 25 years of coaching experience under his belt, including 17 seasons coordinating NCAA Division I offenses and mentoring quarterbacks.
The Aggies' offense put up strong numbers in McGiven's year at the helm, including mentoring quarterback Bryson Barnes into one of six FBS players in 2025 with at least 2,500 passing yards and 700 rushing yards. Utah quarterback Devon Dampier accomplished the same feat in 2024 at New Mexico and came up just short this season with the Utes (2,490 passing, 835 rushing).
"Kevin is one of the brightest offensive minds in college football," Scalley said. "His ability to innovate and adapt to different personnel is extremely impressive and he brings a scheme and mentality that are perfect for the playmakers we have here at Utah. Ute Nation is going to love this guy!"
Barnes, who was named Second Team All-Mountain West, led the Aggies in rushing this season with 740 yards and threw 18 touchdown passes with just five interceptions. McGiven's offense also saw wide receiver Braden Pegan earn First Team All-Mountain West honors, while running back Miles Davis was named to the second team with Barnes.
"What an incredible honor for me to be hired as the offensive coordinator at the University of Utah," McGiven said. "This is a special place with special people that I've always aspired to be. I sincerely thank Mark Harlan and Coach Scalley for giving me this opportunity and putting their faith and trust in me to lead our offense. My wife and I are excited to get down there and I look forward to continuing and building upon the success and tradition of Utah football."
Utah State was second in the Mountain West in scoring offense at 31.8 points per game and third in the conference in both total offense (422.4 ypg) and passing efficiency (147.0). The Aggies were fourth in the MW in passing (251.4 ypg) and fifth in rushing (171.0 ypg).
McGiven came to Utah State after spending the previous seven seasons at San José State, which included serving as the Spartans' offensive coordinator for six years. With McGiven on staff, SJSU won 38 games and qualified for four bowl games over the final five seasons, including winning the 2020 Mountain West Championship as the Spartans concluded the year No. 24 in the Associated Press poll.
Serving as San José State's passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2024, McGiven helped the Spartans lead the MW and rank fifth in the FBS in passing offense at 325.3 yards per game, while wide receiver Nick Nash led the nation in receiving yards per game (115.2), receptions per game (8.7) and receiving touchdowns (16), and was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, honoring the nation's top receiver.
McGiven spent his first six seasons at San José State as its offensive coordinator, which included coaching the quarterbacks from 2021-23. In 2023, SJSU rushed for 2,393 yards, finishing just 85 yards behind the single-season school record. In 2022, the Spartans led the country with only six turnovers during the regular season, while quarterback Chevan Cordeiro led the MW with 3,251 yards passing and 23 touchdowns. Cordeiro twice earned All-MW honors under McGiven.
San José State was fourth nationally in passing offense in 2019 and 19th during its 2020 championship season.
Before his time at San José State, McGiven spent three seasons at Oregon State, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2015, co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2016, and offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2017.
McGiven's second stint at Utah State was during the 2013-14 seasons as he helped the Aggies to a 19-9 record, including a 13-3 conference mark, an appearance in the inaugural MW Championship game and back-to-back bowl wins, which included a 21-14 victory against No. 24 Northern Illinois in the Poinsettia Bowl.
Before Utah State, McGiven helped Montana State to an 11-2 record and its third-straight Big Sky Conference Championship in 2012. As its offensive coordinator, the Bobcats scored 33.5 points per game, finishing 20th in the nation at the FCS level.
McGiven also spent two years at Memphis (2010-11) as the assistant head coach of offense and quarterbacks' coach.
In his first stint with Utah State during the 2009 season, McGiven improved USU's offense from 89th nationally in 2008 to 14th in 2009, averaging 439.3 yards per game.
Before the 2009 campaign, McGiven was Weber State's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for three seasons, helping the Wildcats to a share of the Big Sky Conference title and advancing to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs in 2008.
McGiven joined the Weber State coaching staff in 2006 after one season at Southern Utah, where he was the Thunderbirds' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
McGiven began his coaching career in 1998 at Louisiana Tech as a student assistant coach after his playing career was cut short due to an injury. He accepted an assistant coaching position in 2001 at Mountain View High in Orem, Utah, and returned to the college ranks in 2002 as a graduate assistant on the BYU staff.
An Orem, Utah native, McGiven graduated from Mountain View High School in 1995. He played one season at Eastern Arizona Junior College and later played wide receiver at Louisiana Tech, before finishing his bachelor's degree in business from Utah Valley in 2001. He later earned his master's degree in physical education from BYU in 2005.
He and his wife Lindsay have four children: sons Peyton, K.J. and Beau; and daughter Ireland.
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The Aggies' offense put up strong numbers in McGiven's year at the helm, including mentoring quarterback Bryson Barnes into one of six FBS players in 2025 with at least 2,500 passing yards and 700 rushing yards. Utah quarterback Devon Dampier accomplished the same feat in 2024 at New Mexico and came up just short this season with the Utes (2,490 passing, 835 rushing).
"Kevin is one of the brightest offensive minds in college football," Scalley said. "His ability to innovate and adapt to different personnel is extremely impressive and he brings a scheme and mentality that are perfect for the playmakers we have here at Utah. Ute Nation is going to love this guy!"
Barnes, who was named Second Team All-Mountain West, led the Aggies in rushing this season with 740 yards and threw 18 touchdown passes with just five interceptions. McGiven's offense also saw wide receiver Braden Pegan earn First Team All-Mountain West honors, while running back Miles Davis was named to the second team with Barnes.
"What an incredible honor for me to be hired as the offensive coordinator at the University of Utah," McGiven said. "This is a special place with special people that I've always aspired to be. I sincerely thank Mark Harlan and Coach Scalley for giving me this opportunity and putting their faith and trust in me to lead our offense. My wife and I are excited to get down there and I look forward to continuing and building upon the success and tradition of Utah football."
Utah State was second in the Mountain West in scoring offense at 31.8 points per game and third in the conference in both total offense (422.4 ypg) and passing efficiency (147.0). The Aggies were fourth in the MW in passing (251.4 ypg) and fifth in rushing (171.0 ypg).
McGiven came to Utah State after spending the previous seven seasons at San José State, which included serving as the Spartans' offensive coordinator for six years. With McGiven on staff, SJSU won 38 games and qualified for four bowl games over the final five seasons, including winning the 2020 Mountain West Championship as the Spartans concluded the year No. 24 in the Associated Press poll.
Serving as San José State's passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2024, McGiven helped the Spartans lead the MW and rank fifth in the FBS in passing offense at 325.3 yards per game, while wide receiver Nick Nash led the nation in receiving yards per game (115.2), receptions per game (8.7) and receiving touchdowns (16), and was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, honoring the nation's top receiver.
McGiven spent his first six seasons at San José State as its offensive coordinator, which included coaching the quarterbacks from 2021-23. In 2023, SJSU rushed for 2,393 yards, finishing just 85 yards behind the single-season school record. In 2022, the Spartans led the country with only six turnovers during the regular season, while quarterback Chevan Cordeiro led the MW with 3,251 yards passing and 23 touchdowns. Cordeiro twice earned All-MW honors under McGiven.
San José State was fourth nationally in passing offense in 2019 and 19th during its 2020 championship season.
Before his time at San José State, McGiven spent three seasons at Oregon State, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2015, co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2016, and offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2017.
McGiven's second stint at Utah State was during the 2013-14 seasons as he helped the Aggies to a 19-9 record, including a 13-3 conference mark, an appearance in the inaugural MW Championship game and back-to-back bowl wins, which included a 21-14 victory against No. 24 Northern Illinois in the Poinsettia Bowl.
Before Utah State, McGiven helped Montana State to an 11-2 record and its third-straight Big Sky Conference Championship in 2012. As its offensive coordinator, the Bobcats scored 33.5 points per game, finishing 20th in the nation at the FCS level.
McGiven also spent two years at Memphis (2010-11) as the assistant head coach of offense and quarterbacks' coach.
In his first stint with Utah State during the 2009 season, McGiven improved USU's offense from 89th nationally in 2008 to 14th in 2009, averaging 439.3 yards per game.
Before the 2009 campaign, McGiven was Weber State's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for three seasons, helping the Wildcats to a share of the Big Sky Conference title and advancing to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs in 2008.
McGiven joined the Weber State coaching staff in 2006 after one season at Southern Utah, where he was the Thunderbirds' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
McGiven began his coaching career in 1998 at Louisiana Tech as a student assistant coach after his playing career was cut short due to an injury. He accepted an assistant coaching position in 2001 at Mountain View High in Orem, Utah, and returned to the college ranks in 2002 as a graduate assistant on the BYU staff.
An Orem, Utah native, McGiven graduated from Mountain View High School in 1995. He played one season at Eastern Arizona Junior College and later played wide receiver at Louisiana Tech, before finishing his bachelor's degree in business from Utah Valley in 2001. He later earned his master's degree in physical education from BYU in 2005.
He and his wife Lindsay have four children: sons Peyton, K.J. and Beau; and daughter Ireland.
FOLLOW THE UTES
Follow the Utes on social media through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com. Download the Utah 360 app here.
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