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SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utes, who have less than two weeks to get ready for their season opener against the Pitt Panthers, wrapped up two-a-day practices with a scrimmage Saturday.
After two days of hard-hitting fall scrimmages, Saturday morning's 70-play scrimmage was different in that the starters were held out of full contact as a precaution.
"We're so banged up we can't afford to lose any more 'ones' this close to the game," Head Coach Kyle Whittingham explained.
The coach later remarked that the "ones" had already gotten a lot of good work through regular practices.
While Whittingham is satisfied with the team's progress at camp, he still sees room for improvement.
"It was good work," he noted. "The scrimmage was a good way to close out fall camp."
But Wittingham admitted that while there were improvements from the last scrimmage, a lot of things needed "cleaning up."
Now that scrimmage and fall camp are history, the Utes can begin prepping for this year's season opener against the team ranked 15th ranked in the country.
"I'm tired of going against our defense. You know, they started knowing our plays at the end," Ute quarterback Jordan Wynn said. "Pitt brings a good challenge, very solid defense; and its going to be a lot of fun."
Ute wide receiver Shaky Smithson has apparently been anticipating the opportunity to play Pitt for a while, having the event down to date and time.
"Yeah, I was excited after the bowl game last year knowing that we played Pitt, September 2nd at 6:30," he said. "So, it's going to be a great game, a great competition, and we can't wait for them to come to Rice Eccles Stadium."
But that's not for twelve whole days, so what does Jordan Wynn plan to do in the meantime to celebrate the end of fall camp?
"I don't know, go home and take a nap probably," Wynn said smiling.
E-mail: dnoriega@ksl.com
