SALT LAKE CITY - It is time to return to Salt Lake City as the Utes get ready to host the Arizona State Sun Devils on Saturday, Oct. 21. The game is at 1:30 p.m., Utah's earliest kick time of the season.
The Utes are coming off back-to-back losses against Stanford and at #13 USC, but will look to rebound against ASU in front of its home crowd in Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Bring Em Back...
NFL greats
Steve Smith Sr. and Jordan Gross will be among seven new inductees into the Crimson Club Hall of Fame. They will be introduced at halftime of the game. Smith played receiver and returner at Utah from 1999-2000 before he was drafted in the third round by Carolina. He played 16 years with Carolina and Baltimore before retiring after last season. Smith's 14,731 career receiving yards ranks seventh in NFL history. He was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time All-Pro. Gross, a consensus All-American and Outland Trophy finalist as a senior in 2002, was drafted in the first round as the No. 8 overall pick by Carolina. He was a starting offensive tackle for 11 seasons at Carolina—making the Pro Bowl in 2009. He retired after the 2013 season.
Depth Chart News...
- Javelin Guidry made his first-career start at nickelback against USC.
- Noah Rodriguez-Trammell has taken over long snapping duties, debuting against USC.
- Utah has added a newcomer to the squad in Mika Tafua. Tafua, a freshman from Laie, Hawai'i, was a two-time All-Hawaii DE.
Award Season...
- Junior Mitch Wishnowsky was named Pac-12 Specialist of the Week, the third league player of the week honor of his career.
- Matt Gay has been named to three midseason All-America teams (Sporting News, ESPN, AP).
- Troy Williams earned a spot on the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll after his performance against USC. The award goes to "two-way" players with Williams scoring three touchdowns in three different ways against the Spartans (pass, rush, receive).
Voices from Practice...
Head coach Kyle Whittingham
On if Tyler Huntley practiced today...
"Everyone practices really well on this team. This is a good practicing team."
On if Tyler Huntley will start on Saturday...
"There is always a chance. Until they tell me that he is ruled out, there is always a chance."
On if he is worried that Tyler Huntley will have to shake off a little rust from sitting out the last two games...
"Not really. He went in and did some good things in those first few ball games that he started. I don't know how much of an ill effect it might have on having that time off. It affects some people more than others. I am not concerned about it."
Offensive Line coach Jim Harding
On the offensive line's performance so far...
"You know with four new guys, it takes some time to get used to one another. I think we did take a step forward this last game, but there are still things we need to work on to continue to get better each week."
On if it has been helpful having the same starting five each game...
"Yeah, obviously you don't want to have anyone injured and the more continuity that we can develop in practice is big."
