The 20-day fall camp for the University of Utah football team came to an end on Saturday with one final scrimmage at Rice-Eccles Stadium. With school back in session on Monday, the Utes will get back to their regular season schedule as they prepare for their season opener at home against North Dakota on Thursday, Aug. 31 at 5:30 p.m. MT.
Quarterback announcement coming
Utah went through fall camp with no starting quarterback named, but Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said a starter will be announced on Monday. The three-way quarterback battle has been between Troy Williams, the senior returner who started every game at quarterback last season, and sophomore Tyler Huntley, with senior Alabama transfer Cooper Bateman also competing for the spot.
“Tyler [Huntley] is a guy that brings an element of a dual threat,” said Utah offensive coordinator Troy Taylor. ”Troy [Williams] brings a lot of experience and steadiness, and Cooper [Bateman] brings maturity and good instincts.”
On day nine of Camp Kyle, Whittingham said Williams and Huntley were getting more reps than Bateman. After the final day of camp concluded, Taylor said he felt any of the three guys could start, and win, because they understand the offense, are wired in, have had very few mistakes and are ready to play.”
Progress and setbacks
During the Utes first full week of preseason camp, it was announced via a Utah athletics press release that strong safety Chase Hansen was “unavailable to practice until further notice.” He did not practice during fall camp because he was dealing with what Whittingham described as a “lingering thing” and not something that occurred during practice.
Whittingham said on Saturday that Hansen should be back to practice next week, and that he will be returning to his starting position.
“Chase Hansen is one of the best safeties in the country,” Whittingham said. “Get him on the field … I love Chase Hansen and what he brings to the football team.”
Starting center Lo Falemaka suffered what appeared to be a leg injury on the sixth of camp. He returned to practice during the final week of preseason camp, and although Whittingham said he’s not in a 100 percent capacity, he is healthy. He added that if the team was to play today, he would be out there.
Whittingham announced on day 14 of fall camp that because of a “fluke thing” that happened during an 11-on-11 team period setting, running back Armand Shyne would be out for “quite a while.” Whittingham noted that Shyne’s injury would not be season-ending.
Sophomore Zack Moss and Armand Shyne were battling it out for the lead running back role up until this injury. After it occurred, Moss was named the starter.
Coach Whittingham announced at the end of the camp that junior corner back Tyrone Smith underwent ankle surgery, and he is out for the season. Smith will red shirt this season, and he will return next spring.
Captains named
During the final week of camp, Utah voted for team captains. On the offensive side, Troy Williams and Salesi Uhatafe were elected. Lowell Lotulelei and Filipo Mokofisi from the defense, and on special teams, Mitch Wishnowsky and Christian Drews were named captains.
“That was one of my goals for this year, try to be a captain,” Williams said. “Just be more vocal out there, try to be a better example for my teammates, and that just shows my teammates trust me and believe in me and they know I can get the job done.”
Installation of offense
Taylor has been working on installing his new offense over the course of fall camp, and after the final scrimmage of camp, he said that might have been the teams best offensive day yet.
From spring to now, Taylor said Utah looks like a completely different team.
“They’ve got an understanding of the system and what we’re trying to achieve and the concepts,” Taylor said. “They’re not thinking as much, they’re playing fast, they have confidence. I think they expect to move the ball and score. The mentality is better, their understanding is better.”
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