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By DOUG ALDEN AP Sports Writer
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- If Utah changes quarterbacks, it won't be this week.
The Utes (4-3, 2-1 Mountain West) visit New Mexico on Thursday in a quick turnaround from Saturday's 31-15 loss at Wyoming. That doesn't leave a lot of time to prepare, so Brett Ratliff will start again and try to redeem himself after his second shaky performance in three games.
"What you've got to do is just decide who your best guy is, and if we don't start seeing increased production, then certainly we've got to take a hard look at making a change," coach Kyle Whittingham said Monday.
"But right now on a short week, that's not the time to do it," he said.
Ratliff was 16-for-31 with two interceptions against Wyoming, which also forced two more turnovers on fumbles. The Cowboys had six sacks against the Utes, who entered the game without allowing anybody to get to Ratliff in the first six weeks.
It was a better game for Ratliff than the 36-3 loss to Boise State on Sept. 30, when he was 5-for-21 with three interceptions.
In between, Ratliff had a pretty good game against TCU. Utah won 20-7 behind his 223 passing yards and two touchdown throws on Oct. 5.
Whittingham was asked whether he was feeling pressure to give Tommy Grady his first start. It's possible, if Ratliff doesn't rebound on Thursday, but the incumbent hasn't lost the job yet.
"He's got to get his game back together. He's a quality quarterback and he's proven that in big games that he can perform. So that's what we expect," Whittingham said.
Grady has struggled just as badly in his six games with the Utes. He has completed seven of 14 passes with three interceptions. Utah has played the season without former starter Brian Johnson, who is redshirting this year while recovering from knee surgery.
After losses to Boise State and Wyoming, Whittingham is trying to remain calm and positive while facing heavy public criticism.
"We had a team meeting last night, which we do on every short week. It wasn't any sort of emergency call to arms or anything like that," the coach said. "We're 4-3. The bottom hasn't fallen out. Some people you talk to, it's like you're 0-7."
Utah finished with just 33 rushing yards, thanks in part to Wyoming's six sacks. So Ratliff can't be blamed entirely.
"It's not acceptable the way the offense played. It's hard to win games when you turn the ball over four times," he said. "We had some unforced errors. We've just got to go out and play better football and be more sound as an offense."
After falling to 2-1 in the conference, the Utes are in danger of falling out of the chase for a league title. Air Force and rival Brigham Young are unbeaten in the Mountain West.
The Utes visit Air Force on Nov. 18 and host BYU in the regular season finale.
"We've still got them left to play, so to say that our hopes and dreams of our ultimate goal are shattered is a false statement," Whittingham said. "But where this football team is now, we've got a one-game season. We've got New Mexico on Thursday night." ------ On the Net: www.utahutes.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-10-16-06 1615MDT
