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SALT LAKE CITY — The injury bug has hit hard in 2016.
Midway through the season, Utah has already sustained three season-ending injuries, including tight end Siale Fakailoatonga, defensive end Kylie Fitts and center J.J. Dielman — all starters at their respective positions. Prior to the season start, Utah lost center Hiva Lutui, who was projected to be the team’s starter at the position before being forced to retire due to injury.
Head coach Kyle Whittingham announced Monday that Armand Shyne would also miss the remainder of the season after sustaining an apparent knee injury late in the game against Arizona.
With Shyne done for the season, that makes it five starters ending the season early due to injury — the most of any school in the Pac-12. Add to that list the never-ending list of players “banged up” each week, including starting wide receiver Tim Patrick and running backs Zack Moss and Troy McCormick, and Utah is in a precarious position.
Despite the bad luck, Utah has embodied the next-man-up mentality and has continued to find a way to win games.
“These injuries are mounting, but we never make an excuse about that, because it’s next man up,” Whittingham told ESPN 700 following the game. “But when your injury sheet hits 15, 17, 19 guys, that starts to be concerning. You want to make sure that we’re doing things the right way and not having it happen in practice. There’s nothing we can really do about them; it’s just luck of the draw.”
Three to five seasons ago, Utah would have been nearly done for the season given the amount of turnover to its starting positions. Simply, Utah did not have the depth to insert the next man up and compete in the Pac-12 to get a win. However, six years of the Pac-12 membership have given Utah some flexibility with its depth chart, adding more talented backups than ever before.
This is not to say that Utah is the only team in the Pac-12 with multiple injuries, it's that it has been most consistent given the loss of talent the program has sustained. Utah currently sits tied for first place and in position to win the South division.
How does the rest of the Pac-12 look?
- Arizona: one season-ending injury to Brion Anduze (TE)
- Arizona State: zero season-ending injuries
- Cal: two season-ending injuries to starters Damariay Drew (DB) and Evan Rambo (S)
- Colorado: three season-ending injuries to starters Derek McCartney (LB), Juwann Winfree (WR) and Diego Gonzalez (PK)
- Oregon: three season-ending injuries to starters Devon Allen (WR), Tyrell Crosby (OL) and Johnny Ragin III (LB)
- Oregon State: one season-ending injury to starter Noah Togiai (TE); two other season-ending injuries to Landry Payne (S) and LaMone Williams (DE)
- Stanford: zero season-ending injuries
- UCLA: zero season-ending injuries
- USC: one season-ending injury to starter Toa Lobendahn (C)
- Washington: one season-ending injury to Sean Constantine (LB)
- Washington State: zero season-ending injuries
“We might be able to get Zack back. It’s more likely to get Zack back this week than Troy (McCormick),” Whittingham said.
Utah benefitted from getting defensive star Lowell Lotulelei and Reggie Porter back on the defense for the Arizona game, which drastically helped in the run defense, and Cory Butler-Byrd on the offense. Butler-Byrd’s impact was felt on the offense with a 69-yard catch to set up a Utah touchdown and on special teams, where his 86 yards on kickoff returns gave Utah great field position.
Utah has yet to make any excuses but continues to go about its business of trying to win a Pac-12 championship — an opportunity within reach despite mounting injuries.
