Due to inclement weather, the Utah football team elected to find refuge in the shelter of the Eccles Football Facility to continue spring practice Tuesday afternoon.
“It was so dusty when we got [outside], we couldn’t see a thing,” said head coach Kyle Whittingham. “So we decided to go indoors and it turned out to be a very good practice.”
Back on the turf for the first time since Saturday’s scrimmage, Whittingham noted that he and the rest of the coaching staff, while pleased with the progress and effort of the entire squad, had noticed the passing game needed continued attention.
“What we saw … it was good work,” Whittingham said. “A lot of positives, a lot of guys making plays. We need to continue to improve on the throw game. That’s been something that has been evident through spring. But we’re making strides.”
Much of the progress of a reinvented Utah offense will hinge on the development of the group at wide receiver. The loss of wideouts Dres Anderson, a three-year starter, and Kaelin Clay, who racked up 523 yards with 4 touchdowns on 43 catches, along with tight end Westlee Tonga, who amassed over 2,000 yards over three years as a receiving option, the Utes will need to find new playmakers to catch the ball.
“The receivers are continuing to improve. They’re very talented but very inexperienced, other than Kenneth Scott, who is very experienced,” Whittingham said.
Long after the practice, Scott remained on the turf, catching balls from a JUGS machine. On being identified by coaches and teams as a leader among the receivers, the senior from Fontana, Calif. said, “If I see someone with great potential, and they’re not their best efforts that they could to reach that potential, I got to get on them to get them to reach their potential. If they don’t reach their potential, that’s on me.”
As a group, Scott hopes all the wide receivers can develop into “trustworthy” weapons on offense and not solely depend on just one or two “go-to” guys.
Special teams were also highly stressed during the practice, with a solid portion of the second half dedicated to the return game. With 2014 Ray Guy Award winner Tom Hackett at punter and All-Pac-12 placekicker Andy Philips returning to lead the special teams, those on the returning aspect of the unit look to prove that they are no slouches either. While at the moment, the returner job has yet to be determined, according to Whittingham, Bubba Poole hopes to earn the nod at the position.
“I’ve been returning as long as they have been letting us return, from Pop Warner days,” Poole said. “So I’m used to it, punt return and kick return as well. So I’m working hard to be the designated returner.”
The Utes will be back at practice on Thursday in preparation for their second scrimmage on Saturday morning. The Red and White game is quickly approaching and will be held the following Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
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