Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — Score one for the transparency offered by the Big 12 availability report.
With the University of Utah preparing to host No. 21 Arizona State on Saturday evening, fourth-year junior safety Nate Ritchie was listed as "out" on the week's first availability report Wednesday evening.
Ritchie left the Utes' Sept. 27 win at West Virginia with what appeared to be a serious leg injury. His day ended in a full leg brace and on crutches, fueling the notion his injury would be long term.
When the topic was broached on Monday during his normal weekly press conference, Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham had a positive update with his team coming off an open week.
"Fortunately, not season-ending," Whittingham said. "But we'll see who we have available this week and who we don't."
The fact Ritchie's injury was not season-ending meant Whittingham was not going to discuss it at length, leaving the availability report to tell the story.
With Ritchie out for at least Saturday, attention turns to filling that safety spot. Whittingham indicated true freshman Nate Tilmon and his 89 career defensive snaps are next in line.
"He's a tough kid," Whittingham said. "He threw it in there on the run two or three times and didn't turn anything down. Wasn't perfect in his tackling, but I don't think anybody was. But he's got a bright future. He's got all the tools to succeed at that position."
Whittingham could also opt to move redshirt junior cornerback Rock Caldwell back to safety, at least for depth purposes with Rabbit Evans out for the season and Jackson Bennee getting dinged up at West Virginia.
Bennee, who also moonlights at wide receiver, was expected to be fine coming out of Morgantown. He did not pop up on Wednesday's availability report.
