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The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

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Football: No Season-Ending Injuries, Gay Continues to Lead Nation

University+of+Utah+senior+linebacker+Alex+Whittingham+%2834%29+congratulates+senior+kicker+Matt+Gay+%2897%29+after+his+field+goal+in+an+NCAA+Football+game+vs.+The+San+Jose+State+Spartans+in+Rice+Eccles+Stadium+in+Salt+Lake+City%2C+Utah+on+Saturday%2C+Sept.+16%2C+2017%0A%0A%28Photo+by+Kiffer+Creveling+%7C+The+Daily+Utah+Chronicle%29
Kiffer Creveling
University of Utah senior linebacker Alex Whittingham (34) congratulates senior kicker Matt Gay (97) after his field goal in an NCAA Football game vs. The San Jose State Spartans in Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 (Photo by Kiffer Creveling | The Daily Utah Chronicle)

It’s a bye week for the University of Utah football team (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12) who are coming off a road win against Arizona to remain undefeated on its season. After the victory against the Wildcats, the Utes improved from No. 23 to No. 20 in the AP poll, and they moved two spots in the Coaches’ poll to No. 19. 

“[I’m] proud of our guys. Hard-fought victory on Saturday night down in Tucson,” said head coach Kyle Whittingham. “The last couple times we went down there, we didn’t fare so well so it was good to be able to get a victory. It wasn’t perfect, never is. But guys showed a lot of fight, overcame a lot of adversity and found a way to get it done.”

Injury bug bites

A handful of Utes exited the game against the Wildcats early due to injuries. Among those players were quarterback Tyler Huntley and defensive end Kylie Fitts.

In the second quarter, Huntley was sacked, and he left the game with an apparent shoulder injury after going 8-of-9 in the air for 98 yards. Not only has Huntley started every game for the Utes this season, but he is responsible for 66 percent of Utah’s total offense.

This was the second week in a row that Fitts, who has 11 tackles to lead the defensive line, had to miss the second half of a game due to injuries.

“Some guys got pretty beat up in the game on Saturday,” Whittingham said. “So this will be a good time to have the bye week and try to get healed up with some of these guys.”

Whittingham reported on Monday that there were no season-ending injuries from the Arizona game.

“We’re going to be optimistic and hope that everybody is ready in two weeks,” Whittingham said. “Maybe that’s wishful thinking, but we’ll have to see what happens.” 

Gay continues to kick away

Kicker Matt Gay remains perfect this season, as he’s 14-of-14 in both field goals and PATs. Leading the nation in field goals made, Gay said he is hoping to make every single field goal that he kicks, but for now, he’s taking it “one kick at a time.”

“I can’t be thinking too far ahead,” Gay said. “That’s when I get out of a rhythm, when I get out of what I’m doing and everything like that. So I just focus on the situations that I’m in.”

Gay said he feels comfortable and confident when he is called upon to do his one job — that’s to send the ball through the uprights. His ability to block out the surrounding noise and focus on the task at hand is something that he seems to have no issue with — and Whittingham has noticed that too.

“Nothing seems to phase him. I mean he’s got the perfect mentality for a kicker,” Whittingham said. “He’s mentally tough. He’s a very confident kid and he’s mechanically, technically very sound. He’s got a strong leg and he gets the ball out quick. He’s just been a huge plus for us this year.”

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@Britt_Colindres

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