2023 Spring Football Chronicles: Week 1 Done
3/24/2023 10:56 AM | Football
SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah Football program wrapped up its first three practices of spring ball this week with 12 to go as the team prepares for the 22 Forever game in 28 days and the 2023 season in 159.
The weather may have changed daily this week in Salt Lake City, but that didn't deter the Utes as they hit the gridiron for the first time since the 2022 season on Tuesday and Thursday.
Gallery: (3-21-2023) 2023 Spring Football: Day 1
Gallery: (3-23-2023) 2023 Spring Football: Day 2
The Utes also announced the rebrand of the spring game as the 22 Forever Game this week with all proceeds going to the 22 Forever Memorial Scholarship. Fans can buy tickets to the game at www.UtahTickets.com/football or by calling/texting 801-581-8849.
COACHES CORNER
Kyle Whittingham | Head Coach
On his impressions of the first day of practice…
"It is exactly what you would expect. A lot of excitement for them to be out here. Winter conditioning is a grind for these guys because it is eight weeks of hard work, so it is great to be out on the field and playing some football. They had a great attitude, so it was just what you would expect on day one."
On the plan at safety…
"We have a lot of good depth and good players there. We have Sione Vaki, Cole Bishop and then Nate Ritchie is back after his mission. We also have Johnathan Hall here as an early graduate out of high school, so we should be in good shape there."
On if Cameron Rising is where he wants him to be as far as his timeline to getting back…
"Yes he is. There has been good progress so far with no setbacks. We are still pretty early in the process but so far, so good."
On the depth and competition at offensive line…
"Really good depth. That room has plenty of able bodies. We have 15 or 16 scholarship guys that we think are really good and we should come away with a solid 10 guys. If you can go into the season with 10 guys that you feel good about, that is ideal."
On what excites him most being back on the field with this team…
"Just being back on the field. They are back-to-back Pac-12 Champs and they are going for a three-peat, and that is a big challenge. So, to get back out here and see the enthusiasm and the excitement – that is what it is all about."
Andy Ludwig | Offensive Coordinator
On projecting the future at quarterback…
"Cameron Rising is the guy projected in the future, but we're going to put the next-best quarterback in a position to be the No. 2 and the third-best guy in position to be No. 3. That competition is a day in, day out process. May the best man win. I'm anxious to watch it continue. It was off to a good start yesterday, but every day is different."
On how running the scout team can benefit Brandon Rose…
"You get a lot more throws. Last season, Nate Johnson was the third quarterback for us. Third quarterback is the most difficult position on the football team, because you're expected to know everything, but you get almost zero reps. At least Brandon was able to play the game. Nate was getting his reps in individual and routes versus air. Brandon Rose is going against the best defense in the Pac-12 every day. So that's a great learning curve for him, great experience and I think it showed up yesterday for him."
On how reps are being split up…
"The quarterback rotation is Nate and Brandon getting the majority of the reps. I think Coach Whitt has clearly stated that. Not to discount Bryson Barnes, but Bryson is a known commodity. No one knows the offense, other than Cameron Rising, better than Bryson. He knows that, and he appreciates the fact that we have to evaluate what we have in these young players, get these young players exposure to the offensive system and really evaluate their talent and their skillset."
On the balance between growing younger quarterbacks versus installing parts of the offense…
"It's all quarterback-driven. We state in the offensive meeting room and in the full staff room – it is all about the nuts and bolts, the major operation. We put a lot on the quarterback's plate. We have to make sure the quarterback can execute the core of the offense. All the young guys have a lot to learn."
On describing Brandon Rose's game…
"He's an athletic drop-back passer. His arm talent is off the chart. I'm super excited about that. When he gets under duress, for a bigger bodied guy, he has excellent escape ability and really deceptive speed."
Gallery: (3-23-2023) 2023 Utah Football Pro Day
2023 PRO DAY
Braeden Daniels | Offensive Lineman
On how the day went…
"It was definitely some good work. I was excited to be out here, excited to come out and embrace the new coaching they bring to us. Just trying to come out here, perform and do the best we can."
On what NFL scouts like about his game…
"Definitely my versatility. Explosiveness off the ball, my quick twist off the ball, being able to play a bunch of different positions. That and my IQ of the game. Being able to repeat back the same plays I've learned in Zoom calls and on interviews with teams and give them what they're giving me. I'm trying to make it as easy a transition as possible."
On playing a variety of positions across the offensive line…
"I've been playing all different positions. Coach Harding has been talking about being marketable since I was a freshman. I've been playing center, guard and tackle. I have some Spring Game film at center, some practice tape at center. These guys want to come out here and see if I can play center."
Dalton Kincaid | Tight End
On what he thinks scouts hope to see out of him…
"It's different from team to team, depending who you talk to. Really, just showing that I'm healthy, able to move and that I'm back to my true self."
On who he seeks advice from…
"Guys who have been here and have experience, they were here last year and I was here watching them. Devin Lloyd is a great example. He was a leader on this team. I've talked to people who have been here before and know the ropes a little bit. You only get to do this once, so it's a bit foreign."
On his best attribute as a player…
"I definitely think my strength is in the passing game. I think I'm very coachable in that aspect of the game too, just learning everything. Winning, I think, is the big thing and something that's been consistent throughout my career; knowing how to win games."
On the tight end being a valued position…
"I think the game is still changing. Tight ends are getting a lot more involved. You see how valuable they are. It's a lot of guys that have set the way and set a good example. It's up to us, the current tight ends, to keep it going and keep evolving it more and more."
Clark Phillips III | Cornerback
On if Pro Day is a culmination of a dream for him…
"I struggled with just taking it all in, because it feels like it's all flown by in terms of the time. I did try to take it in all in, just kind of stay in the moment. That was kind of my message to myself all season and especially in a time like now. You want to prepare to make your dreams become reality. And this was that last checkbox, make it happen, get in front of everybody and all these teams. It's a blessing."
On what scouts like about his game…
"What I'm hearing is that they like the smarts, the understanding of the game and the versatility. Being able to play everything."
On how training as a defensive back translates to training for agility drills…
"I pride myself on being athletic, but that's not all of my game. I take pride in preparing for every single matchup, every single game, formational tendencies, all of that stuff. The things that you need in a football player. When it comes to preparing for this stuff, this is just what they want to see. This is another thing you've got to check off. I've got to do my job, this is what they want to see. They want to see the 40-yard dash, all of that stuff. But I definitely understand that I've never been the fastest, never been the biggest. Shoot, I'm probably shorter than everybody over here. But that's not my game. I got to cover some of the best of the best in college and we fared really, really well."
The weather may have changed daily this week in Salt Lake City, but that didn't deter the Utes as they hit the gridiron for the first time since the 2022 season on Tuesday and Thursday.
The sweet, sweet sounds of spring ball??pic.twitter.com/68vq0s4dmU— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) March 22, 2023
The Utes also announced the rebrand of the spring game as the 22 Forever Game this week with all proceeds going to the 22 Forever Memorial Scholarship. Fans can buy tickets to the game at www.UtahTickets.com/football or by calling/texting 801-581-8849.
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We are proud to announce our annual spring game is now the 22 Forever Game, with proceeds going to the 22 Forever Memorial Scholarship. #22Forever????https://t.co/TRGZhc3eGd pic.twitter.com/TXK0sbBmtY— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) March 22, 2023
COACHES CORNER
Kyle Whittingham | Head Coach
On his impressions of the first day of practice…
"It is exactly what you would expect. A lot of excitement for them to be out here. Winter conditioning is a grind for these guys because it is eight weeks of hard work, so it is great to be out on the field and playing some football. They had a great attitude, so it was just what you would expect on day one."
On the plan at safety…
"We have a lot of good depth and good players there. We have Sione Vaki, Cole Bishop and then Nate Ritchie is back after his mission. We also have Johnathan Hall here as an early graduate out of high school, so we should be in good shape there."
On if Cameron Rising is where he wants him to be as far as his timeline to getting back…
"Yes he is. There has been good progress so far with no setbacks. We are still pretty early in the process but so far, so good."
On the depth and competition at offensive line…
"Really good depth. That room has plenty of able bodies. We have 15 or 16 scholarship guys that we think are really good and we should come away with a solid 10 guys. If you can go into the season with 10 guys that you feel good about, that is ideal."
On what excites him most being back on the field with this team…
"Just being back on the field. They are back-to-back Pac-12 Champs and they are going for a three-peat, and that is a big challenge. So, to get back out here and see the enthusiasm and the excitement – that is what it is all about."
We're back with the tiny mic!
??? What's the first thing you would buy with your NFL contract? pic.twitter.com/v4GfM2viE0— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) March 22, 2023
Andy Ludwig | Offensive Coordinator
On projecting the future at quarterback…
"Cameron Rising is the guy projected in the future, but we're going to put the next-best quarterback in a position to be the No. 2 and the third-best guy in position to be No. 3. That competition is a day in, day out process. May the best man win. I'm anxious to watch it continue. It was off to a good start yesterday, but every day is different."
Day 2 of spring ball in the??pic.twitter.com/26M1cfxmhJ— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) March 24, 2023
On how running the scout team can benefit Brandon Rose…
"You get a lot more throws. Last season, Nate Johnson was the third quarterback for us. Third quarterback is the most difficult position on the football team, because you're expected to know everything, but you get almost zero reps. At least Brandon was able to play the game. Nate was getting his reps in individual and routes versus air. Brandon Rose is going against the best defense in the Pac-12 every day. So that's a great learning curve for him, great experience and I think it showed up yesterday for him."
On how reps are being split up…
"The quarterback rotation is Nate and Brandon getting the majority of the reps. I think Coach Whitt has clearly stated that. Not to discount Bryson Barnes, but Bryson is a known commodity. No one knows the offense, other than Cameron Rising, better than Bryson. He knows that, and he appreciates the fact that we have to evaluate what we have in these young players, get these young players exposure to the offensive system and really evaluate their talent and their skillset."
On the balance between growing younger quarterbacks versus installing parts of the offense…
"It's all quarterback-driven. We state in the offensive meeting room and in the full staff room – it is all about the nuts and bolts, the major operation. We put a lot on the quarterback's plate. We have to make sure the quarterback can execute the core of the offense. All the young guys have a lot to learn."
On describing Brandon Rose's game…
"He's an athletic drop-back passer. His arm talent is off the chart. I'm super excited about that. When he gets under duress, for a bigger bodied guy, he has excellent escape ability and really deceptive speed."
Thank you to the NFL teams that came out to see our guys at Pro Day??#UtahProDay23 pic.twitter.com/AzOcgVuIqg— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) March 23, 2023
2023 PRO DAY
Braeden Daniels | Offensive Lineman
On how the day went…
"It was definitely some good work. I was excited to be out here, excited to come out and embrace the new coaching they bring to us. Just trying to come out here, perform and do the best we can."
On what NFL scouts like about his game…
"Definitely my versatility. Explosiveness off the ball, my quick twist off the ball, being able to play a bunch of different positions. That and my IQ of the game. Being able to repeat back the same plays I've learned in Zoom calls and on interviews with teams and give them what they're giving me. I'm trying to make it as easy a transition as possible."
On playing a variety of positions across the offensive line…
"I've been playing all different positions. Coach Harding has been talking about being marketable since I was a freshman. I've been playing center, guard and tackle. I have some Spring Game film at center, some practice tape at center. These guys want to come out here and see if I can play center."
Draft stock??Our guys showed out at today's Pro Day! #UtahProDay23 pic.twitter.com/UK9W0VP0l6— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) March 24, 2023
Dalton Kincaid | Tight End
On what he thinks scouts hope to see out of him…
"It's different from team to team, depending who you talk to. Really, just showing that I'm healthy, able to move and that I'm back to my true self."
On who he seeks advice from…
"Guys who have been here and have experience, they were here last year and I was here watching them. Devin Lloyd is a great example. He was a leader on this team. I've talked to people who have been here before and know the ropes a little bit. You only get to do this once, so it's a bit foreign."
On his best attribute as a player…
"I definitely think my strength is in the passing game. I think I'm very coachable in that aspect of the game too, just learning everything. Winning, I think, is the big thing and something that's been consistent throughout my career; knowing how to win games."
On the tight end being a valued position…
"I think the game is still changing. Tight ends are getting a lot more involved. You see how valuable they are. It's a lot of guys that have set the way and set a good example. It's up to us, the current tight ends, to keep it going and keep evolving it more and more."
.@DevinLloyd_ & @BamideleOlaseni back in the building to support our guys??#UtahProDay23 pic.twitter.com/HrMuALguRM— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) March 23, 2023
Clark Phillips III | Cornerback
On if Pro Day is a culmination of a dream for him…
"I struggled with just taking it all in, because it feels like it's all flown by in terms of the time. I did try to take it in all in, just kind of stay in the moment. That was kind of my message to myself all season and especially in a time like now. You want to prepare to make your dreams become reality. And this was that last checkbox, make it happen, get in front of everybody and all these teams. It's a blessing."
On what scouts like about his game…
"What I'm hearing is that they like the smarts, the understanding of the game and the versatility. Being able to play everything."
On how training as a defensive back translates to training for agility drills…
"I pride myself on being athletic, but that's not all of my game. I take pride in preparing for every single matchup, every single game, formational tendencies, all of that stuff. The things that you need in a football player. When it comes to preparing for this stuff, this is just what they want to see. This is another thing you've got to check off. I've got to do my job, this is what they want to see. They want to see the 40-yard dash, all of that stuff. But I definitely understand that I've never been the fastest, never been the biggest. Shoot, I'm probably shorter than everybody over here. But that's not my game. I got to cover some of the best of the best in college and we fared really, really well."
Pro day?? pic.twitter.com/rTEh2Fu47P— Clark Phillips lll (@ClarkPhillips21) March 24, 2023
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