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The University of Utah Athletics
@Utah_Football Concludes 2015 Pac-12 Media Days
7/31/2015 12:00 AM | Football
July 31, 2015
Pac-12 Football Media Day Photo Gallery --- July 31, 2015
Pac-12 Football Media Day Photo Gallery --- July 30, 2015
Transcription of Coach Whittingham's Press Conference
Highlights are below ...
Q. You showed marked improvement in 2014. What are you looking to build upon in 2015?
"Well, that is exactly what the whole emphasis is this year, is continuing to take strides forward. Continuing to develop as a program. We thought we were a lot better in '13 than we were in '12. Even though the record didn't say that. We were 5-7 both years, we knew inside the program we had made progress. Last year, fortunately, the record manifest that progress, so we need to continue on that trend and on that climb.
Now it's very difficult in the Pac-12, especially the south because it's so competitive, like I mentioned. So the margin of error or the margin between winning and losing most weeks is very thin. We were in three overtime games last year and came out on the right side of it twice. But we've got to make sure that we don't back off in any way, shape or form as coaches or as players, and that we continue to press forward and build on last year rather than take a backwards step."
Q. Jared Norris was kind of unheralded a couple years ago and now here he is. What's his development been like?
COACH WHITTINGHAM: Jared is another guy with a great work ethic. I think he was maybe the most underrated defender in the Pac-12 last year. I'm sure every coach has a couple guys they think is in the same boat. But Jared is a fifth-year senior. He's a weight room warrior. He works his tail off in the weight room, and he's competitive. I would be shocked if he's not voted team captain this fall in training camp. He's a team leader. Can't say enough good things about him and how far he's come in his career in Utah.
Q. He's a skater off the field. Is he that laid back?
COACH WHITTINGHAM: On the field he's intense. He's competitive and intense. He's also a wakeboarder -- not wakeboarder, snowboarder. I know he snowboards. So he's a very good athlete. Bottom line, he's capable of doing a lot of things. He's a good golfer and a natural athlete. His real home where he feels most comfortable is on the football field.
Q. I was wondering if maybe you could talk a little bit about -- Devontae was talking about his ambitions to maybe help out his hometown of Sacramento and build a Boys & Girls Club eventually. Have you seen some of his ambitions to help kids play out?
COACH WHITTINGHAM: Oh, yeah. Devontae's got a big heart. He's humble. That is another thing. There are some guys you can talk about being a Heisman candidate and this and that and it would go to their head and mess them up. Devontae's not one of those guys. He's down to earth and grounded, cares about people. If he has the type of year we think he is and the opportunity to play at the next level, without a doubt I'm sure he'll do some of those things as far as giving back. He's a guy that loves to give back to the community and people that have helped him along the way.
Full video of Devontae Booker and Jared Norris on stage at #Pac12FB Media Day #goutes #Pac12FB http://t.co/HXfm5zD408
-- Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) July 31, 2015
Players Mentioned
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