One play, one block or one tackle can alter not just the game in which it occurs, but an entire season. In Utah’s 2013 opener against the Utah State Aggies on Aug. 29, one such play took place early in the first quarter.
Wide receiver Kenneth Scott was blocking on a short-pass play when his left leg got tangled up and twisted from behind, a move which resulted in a season-ending injury. Although losing Scott was a major blow to the Utes’ offense, the injury did present the opportunity for someone else to step up and fill the void left in the receiving corps.
Fifth-year senior Sean Fitzgerald was there to answer the call. In that game, Travis Wilson connected with Fitzgerald five times for a total of 79 yards.
As the dust settled after the dramatic home victory against USU, Fitzgerald was poised to become one of the new playmakers in the Utah offense as he edged out Anthony Denham for the starting wide receiver position. Although the chance came under less-than-ideal circumstances, Fitzgerald felt grateful for the opportunity to help his team.
“It’s never good to see someone else go down and K Scott is one of my good buddies,” Fitzgerald said. “At the same time, stepping into the role has been exciting. [Scott] has been one of my biggest supporters. We keep in touch, texting and he’s shown me tons of love and support, so that’s helped a lot.”
Fitzgerald, who redshirted his freshman year in 2009, has seen limited time at receiver throughout his career until now. In 2010 he played in all 13 games on special teams but only lined up at the receiver position in two of those contests. In 2011 he played in six games at wideout and in 2012 he played in nine games, recording four receptions for a combined 61 yards.
In just three games this year, Fitzgerald has almost tripled his receiving yards from a season ago and has scored a pair of touchdowns. Averaging just under 20 yards per catch on the season, he feels confident in doing what he loves.
Fitzgerald grew up playing football in Mission Viejo, Calif. Like many kids, he dreamed of some day playing in college and in the NFL. It wasn’t until later in his high school career that Fitzgerald realized his dreams of playing college football could become a reality.
“I was fortunate enough to be on a really good high school team,” Fitzgerald said. “I had a great coach, Bob Johnson. He helped me get a lot of good looks from colleges and he is a big reason I was able to play Division I football.”
Johnson is still the head football coach of the Mission Viejo High School team that was ranked No. 2 in the nation during Fitzgerald’s junior year. He remembers what set Fitzgerald apart during his high school career.
“[Sean] could go over the middle and catch anything. He was tough. You could hit him in the mouth and he would go up and get it anyways,” Johnson said. “He’s a guy that will always be there for you, but he’s always willing to give credit to other guys, and he means it. Throw it in his area and if he doesn’t get it, he’ll die trying.”
Until he was recruited by both Utah and BYU his senior year of high school, Fitzgerald had never imagined living in Utah. It was just too cold for a kid who grew up 10 minutes away from the beach. But upon visiting Provo and Salt Lake for the first time, he was especially impressed by the Utes’ football program.
“Both were good programs and both were okay with me going on a mission,” Fitzgerald remembers, “but the University of Utah, just the feel of it, I could just tell it was such a solid program. I felt the team camaraderie on that trip. At the time it was a Mountain West school, but I knew big things were coming.”
Fitzgerald committed to Utah and then served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. While he was serving his mission, Utah won the Sugar Bowl and he felt reassured that he had made the right decision.
Upon returning, however, things didn’t go exactly as Fitzgerald had planned. Hamstring injuries plagued him in 2011 and he finished the year without a catch. Early in the 2012 season, minor injuries contributed to a slow start and he finished the year with just four receptions. Now as a senior, Fitzgerald is the third-oldest member of the Ute squad at the seasoned age of 25.
“Do I embrace the ‘old guy’ role?” Fitzgerald asked himself with a laugh. “Yeah, I embrace my role. People know I’ve been around, they see things that I do, so I have to make sure I practice the right way, put forth the right effort and make sure our receiving crew is doing things the right way. So yeah, I kind of take the ‘old guy’ stuff as a compliment.”
Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham and quarterback Travis Wilson certainly don’t seem too worried about Fitzgerald’s age, as both have expressed a great deal of confidence in him as a starter.
“Sean just finds ways to get open,” Wilson said. “You can trust Fitz to make good plays and he’s going to do big things for us this year.”
Fitzgerald is unsure of the specifics of his life after football. He will graduate after this semester with a degree in accounting and said he could see himself coaching football down the road. He hopes to someday return to southern California, but is in no rush to do so. For now he is focusing one game at a time on helping his team and ending his college career the right way.
At the end of this season, not only will Fitzgerald adjust to life after football, but he will also be adjusting to an important new role — that of a father. He and his wife Jenny are expecting their first child, a baby boy, to be born in early January, shortly after Fitzgerald’s final outing as a college football player.
“Unfortunately, football ends for everybody,” Fitzgerald said. “You never know when your last snap is going to be. I’m trying to make sure I give it my all. This is my last year and I’ll never be given this chance again, so I’m doing my best to make sure I’m prepared for every game, to be ready for every situation, to make sure we can achieve our team goals.”
Fitzgerald is clear about exactly what those goals are.
“There’s a lot of season left,” he said. “We’re working for that Pac-12 South championship.”