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SALT LAKE CITY - Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham and new offensive coordinator Brian Johnson joined us live on SportsBeat Sunday to talk all things Utah football.
The coaches discussed everything from the quarterback situation to the future of the rivalry game with BYU.
Could the football rivalry between BYU and Utah become a thing of the past? The last game scheduled between the Utes and Cougars is this fall. BYU AD Tom Holmoe and Utah AD Chris Hill continue talks for 2013 but as of right now no agreement has been reached. I asked Coach Whittingham about the rivalry and how important he felt it was to see it continue.
The Utes focus is not on the rivalry but winning a Pac-12 Championship. That work begins now and Coach Whittingham is very pleased with the progress of the program this spring.
"We've had 12 practices and I'm gonna tell you we've made 12 giant steps forward. We have not had a bad practice," says Kyle Whittingham. " The energy, focus, and concentration of our players has been outstanding."
Depth at the quarterback position was a problem last season. Now that freshman Travis Wilson and Chase Hansen have joined the program that is no longer a problem.
"We went from being lean at the position to having five guys that we really like," says Whittingham. "I've been at Utah 18 years. I don't think we've ever had the depth in its entirety that we have this year."
Jordan Wynn is healthy and has added a lot of weight during the off-season but if Wynn suffers another injury would first year offensive coordinator Brian Johnson feel comfortable putting Travis Wilson or Chase Hansen into the game?
"Absolutely," Johnson answered. "It's no secret here that the best players will play by no means are we afraid to put those guys in the game and I think the fact that they both have graduated early from high school and have enrolled in spring, the reps that they are getting in spring will allow us to do that if we have to."
There is no question the strength of this team will be on defense. Star Lotulelei passed on the NFL draft to return for his senior season and he will be flanked on the defensive front by the Kruger brothers, Dave and Joe, as well as sophomore Nate Fakahafua. Three starters return in the defensive backfield. The key will be the linebacker position where unproven players will have to step up but Whittingham is encouraged.
"It's a very talented group just short on experience," he says. "We'll take talent over experience any day."
Spring football for the Utes will come to a conclusion Saturday with the Red/White game at 1pm. The Utes open the 2012 season August 30th when they host Northern Colorado.
