SALT LAKE CITY – With Dec. 31 getting closer, the Utah football program is in full prep mode for the 41
st-annual San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl. The game is set for a 5 p.m. MT kick on that Monday on FS1.
Utah and Northwestern have only faced off twice in program history with the last game coming in 1981. Search #NWvsUTAH for conversation on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Fans planning to be at the game can still buy tickets (no ticket limits and you can choose your location). If fans aren't able to attend the game, a fan can sponsor a student to go ($45) or make a charitable donation for the youth in the San Diego area to attend the game as part of the Star Pal organization.
The team has been in high spirits while preparing for its 22
ndbowl in program history, rightfully so after racking up some serious post-season honors.
The good news continued to pour in for the Utes when they welcomed a familiar face back to the program in Sione Po'uha. He was a first-team all-Mountain West defensive lineman for Utah before serving as a student assistant coach in 2015-16 and the director of football player development in 2017.
Bradlee Anae on Sione Po'uha
"I had the opportunity to work with him a little bit my freshman year. He is just a guru of the game, so it will be exciting to learn from him."
Voices Out Of Practice:
Head coach Kyle Whittingham on how the team looks health-wise…
"We still have some guys that are a little bit beat up, but it has almost been two weeks since we played last so guys are starting to heal up pretty good. The relative health of the team is good."
On if it is hard to keep guys in shape when you aren't playing games…
"Not really. When we practice, we continue to condition. They still go in the weight room. We never have long periods of time where we stagger, we are always doing something. We feel like we will be in good shape for the bowl."
On how he feels recruiting is going so far with signing day coming on Dec. 19…
"It is going well. We are on track. We don't have a lot of scholarships to give because we only have 11 seniors and we have missionaries coming back that will fill those spots as well, so there won't be as many signees as usual, but we feel good about what we have going."
On if they will sign everyone during the early signing period…
"Not all, but the majority. Last year I think it was about a 50/50 split for us and this year it will probably be about 70/30. That is the trend. Nationally it was like 80-percent signed on the first day so I think everything is shifting towards that."
On Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald and his similarities…
"We are both former linebackers. He was a tremendous linebacker with all kinds of accolades. I think we are similar personality wise and his teams are very physical and hardnosed and we like to think we go along those same lines. I think there is some common ground between the two programs."
