Ute Football Team Will Change Summer Camp Routine

Aug. 5, 2001

SALT LAKE CITY -

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TRIPLE DAYS

Two days before the newcomers reported to camp, the Ute coaches decided to try a whole new training schedule. Instead of a morning and afternoon practice, the Utes will have three shorter practices, starting on August 10 when the full team is in camp ... The first practice will run from 8:15-9:30 a.m. , the second from 10:25-11:40 and the third from 4:25-5:25. The first two practices will be followed by about 15 minutes of special teams work.

REPORTING FOR DUTY

Newcomers will report to summer camp on Monday. They'll take care of physical examinations and other tests that day. On Tuesday, the rookies will meet with the coaches and register for classes. They'll spend Wednesday and Thursday going to meetings and participating in a total of four non-tackling practices. The veterans will arrive in camp on Thursday, but won't start practicing until the following day. For the first time of Head Coach Ron McBride's tenure, Utah will practice three times daily (Sundays are off), rather than twice. See "Triple Days" above for more information

PRACTICE DETAILS

All Ute practices and scrimmages are closed to the general public, but open to the media. Contact drills will start in the evening practice on August 14. From August 10-13, the players will practice in shorts, shoulder pads and helmets. The practice times listed in "Triple Days" will vary on occasion. Please contact the sports information office at 581-3511 for daily practice updates.

INTERVIEW POLICIES

The best time to interview players during the preseason camp is at the conclusion of practice (any of the three each day). Liz Abel, the assistant athletics director for sports information, will staff the practices. To arrange for interviews, please call Liz at 801-581-3511.

MEDIA DAY

As has been the case in past years, there will not be a formal media day for the Utah football team. However, the media is invited to attend the photo shoot on August 9 in the Smith Center and interview players from 6-7 p.m.

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

At the Mountain West Conference Football Preview, held July 30-31 in Las Vegas, Utah was picked by the media to finish sixth in the 2001 league standings. The media members present awarded Utah 55 votes. They liked Colorado State to win it all with 130 votes (11 first place), followed by UNLV (118, 4), Brigham Young (91, 1), San Diego State (74, 1), Air Force (63), Utah (55), New Mexico (54) and Wyoming (18). Last year, Utah was picked to win the league title, but finished tied for fifth.

KAUFUSI, SMITH CITED FOR MWC HONORS

Doug Kaufusi, a senior offensive tackle, and Garrett Smith, a junior defensive end, were named to the 2001 preseason all-Mountain West Conference team. Kaufusi, a 2000 first-team all-conference pick, was previously recognized by several preseason publications on their all-conference teams. Also an All-America candidate, the 6-foot-6, 311-pounder has started since his freshman year at Utah. Smith (6-3, 270) made the honorable mention all-conference team as a sophomore last year after recording 72 tackles, 10 sacks and 15 tackles for loss. He is a ferocious pass rusher who stands to improve upon his third-place league finish in sacks last year.

COMING AT 'YA

Utah opens its 2001 campaign on September 1 in Rice-Eccles Stadium, hosting Utah State in a 6 p.m. contest. The Utes will not play on their home turf again until September 29, after they have completed a grueling three-week road swing that will pit them against Oregon, Air Force and Indiana. Utah's game against New Mexico on September 29 is Homecoming.

AT THE HELM

Ron McBride has a 75-53 record in his 11 years as head Ute coach. He has the second most wins of any coach in Utah football history. McBride has won a share of two conference titles (1995 and 1999) and his teams have finished at .500 or better nine times, with eight winning seaons. He has taken the Utes to five bowl games and has a 2-3 bowl record. Utah's most recent bowl appearance was in 1999, when the Utes beat Fresno State 17-16 in the Las Vegas Bowl.

PRE-CAMP NOTES

There are 37 lettermen returning from last year's team, including 10 full or part-time starters on offense and 6 on defense ... Golden Whetman, who was Utah's starting punter last year and also shared in the place-kicking duties, has left the team. His likely replacement at punter is transfer Brian Lewis, who edged Ryan Kaneshiro for the No. 1 place-kicking job in the spring ... Returning first-team all-conference offensive lineman Doug Kaufusi was selected by the executive committee of the Rotary Lombardi Award to its 2001 Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List ... Three Utes got married over the summer: Jason Kaufusi, Brandon Bliss and Dustin McQuivey.

NO TIME

Just four game times have been finalized for the 2001 Ute football season: Both the Utah State (Sept. 1) and South Florida (Oct. 6) games will kick off at 6:00 p.m. in Rice-Eccles Stadium, Utah's game at Oregon on Sept. 8 will start at 12:30 p.m. (PT) and its game at Air Force on Sept. 15 will start at 1:00 p.m. Due to network television obligations (Utah is part of the Mountain West Conference's pact with ESPN), many start times will not be determined until 12 days in advance of the game. As soon as Utah officials are informed of the start time for a game, it will be posted on Utah's official web site (www.UtahUtes.com).

FAN FEST

The Crimson Club and University of Utah athletics department will sponsor the second-annual Ute Fan Fest on Sat., Aug. 25 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the south plaza of Rice-Eccles Stadium. Student-athletes and coaches from all 19 varsity Ute athletic teams will participate in the Fan Fest, which is free and open to the public. The Fan Fest will also include demonstrations, coaching tips and competitions, autographs, prize drawings, food, drinks and entertainment by the U. pep band, cheerleaders and Crimson Line.

MCBRIDE ON THE PRESEASON CAMP

"We're right where we want to be to start summer camp. Around 90 percent of our players have already passed the physical test conducted by our strength and conditioning staff. We should be able to hit the ground running on day one.

"We'll target a handful of new guys that will help us right away this year and we'll spend considerably more time with those guys getting them mentally and physically ready. Some I know will fit in that category are receivers Paris Jackson and Devin Houston, and Chris Kemoeatu, who we'll test on both sides of the line. We have plans for him as a freshman and we need to get him up to speed.

"At quarterback, we're going to give virtually all the reps to Lance Rice, Ryan Breska and Brett Elliott. Lance had the advantage coming out of spring but nothing's set in stone. All three know the system and we need to make sure we don't limit the reps for any of them.

"Practices will be up tempo, like they were in the spring. Something new we're going to do this year is to work on a situation at the end of practice every day that could be critical at the end of a game."

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