In what came as quite a shock to the Utah faithful, Travis Wilson announced at Tuesday’s practice that he would not be playing in Thursday’s game.
Utah fans are accustomed to the first-string quarterback missing games, as he has been impacted by injuries throughout his career. This time, however, Wilson will be missing the game so he can study for a test he has the next day.
“These Thursday night games are tough,” he said, “because I have class the next day, and my number one priority is getting prepared for that so I can perform at my highest potential.”
Wilson, a senior, said the accomplishment he is most proud of is maintaining his 3.7 GPA. “I’m really happy with what I’ve done so far in my career,” he told reporters after practice, “but I really want to go out strong this year, you know, maybe pull off that elusive 4.0 GPA. I think if I can focus on my fundamentals – doing each night’s reading, getting plenty of sleep and employing efficient study strategies, I’ll be able to really step my game up to a whole new level.”
Head coach Kyle Whittingham said he fully supports his quarterback’s decision. “It’s a little strange that he has a test so early in the semester, but Travis has never been one to back down from a challenge. Sports are a fun past-time, but at the end of the day, these kids just want to get an education.”
The NCAA, the governing body of collegiate athletics, has long been known for its record of prioritizing athletes’ education and well-being over making money through sporting events. This year they are instituting a new program designed to encourage more student-athletes like Travis Wilson to focus on their education. Analysts estimate that the program could result in more than a billion dollar loss for the NCAA, who are still determined to go through with it.
“Money isn’t very important to us,” said NCAA spokesman Roger Tills.
Wilson said maybe he will keep a tab open on his laptop Thursday night so he can track the game’s progress throughout the night.
“I’m not really worried though,” he said. “Kendal Thompson is about as good as I am at handing the ball off to Devontae Booker 40 times in a game. What I am worried about is learning these theories of contract negotiation before tomorrow.”
