Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham has seen Kendal Thompson and Chase Hansen bring their best to the table, but Travis Wilson was ultimately able to edge the two out for the starting position. At the same time, he admits it was a close race. It comes down to throwing the ball better to relieve some of the pressure on Devontae Booker.
“It was tight, but Travis played the best,” Whittingham said. “He’s the guy. We’re excited to see what he can do.”
A couple of other factors sealed the deal with Wilson, one being that his confidence continues to grow as he takes command of the offense. Also, he carries himself with a certain poise, despite all the negative attention from fans and the media throughout his Utah career.
Wilson does his best to not let anything get to him and although Thompson and Hansen will be vying for his spot, he trusts his own abilities. Instead, the competition helps him, and since the three of them get along well with each other, he can rely on them on the sideline to help him with things he cannot always see.
Otherwise, the competition is healthy, and he’s just focusing on himself and knows he can keep his spot if he stays consistent.
“I just want to be the best quarterback I can be,” Wilson said. “I’m really happy that I get to start and be the leader of this offense.”
Studying film
With a brand-new coaching staff in Michigan, the Utes have been studying upwards of seven teams, so they will be ready for anything the Wolverines hit them with. Whether it’s studying Stanford, Florida, Jacksonville, Iowa or the 49ers, they are covering all of their bases. Utah won’t fully rely on this, however.
They can only know what Michigan has planned once it’s game time, and in-game adjustments will be a big component. Utah will need to react to the Wolverines’ game plan sooner rather than later if they want to walk away with a win.
“The key is in-game adjustments after the second, third series,” Whittingham said. “[We need to] get a feel for what they’re trying to do, and [we] can’t wait for halftime.”
Senior linebacker Jared Norris is confident in what they have been studying. He has primarily been looking at Stanford film and feels he will be able to go up against anything resembling that particular team. But there is also a bit of uneasiness.
With so many teams to look at, Norris cannot be 100 percent sure what to expect, but it’s still the game they have all been playing for years.
“It’s football — can’t do too many crazy things when it comes down to it,” Norris said.
Utes rely on their experience
Utah has been a part of the Pac-12 for five years now, and Whittingham does not consider this game any different from any of their regular season opponents. Since they have competed in the Rose Bowl, the Coliseum and the Big House, this game is just that: a game.
“Our guys are battle-tested, and we’ve been exposed to a lot of big time atmospheres and hostile crowds,” Whittingham said.
Since the two teams met last season, Norris is aware of how certain players will act, and no returning players will take him by surprise.
“You know what they’re going to bring to the table, so there’s nothing new you’re going to see other than formation-wise,” Norris said. “Player-wise you kind of know what you’re going to get.”
@kbrenneisen