Upcoming Event: Track & Field versus NCAA First Round on May 28, 2026
Track & Field
vs NCAA First Round
The University of Utah Athletics
QUOTES FROM KYLE WHITTINGHAM’S WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE
Opening Statement
It was a good win in Corvallis. The weather conditions were pretty tough for both teams. Both teams really stuck to the ground for the most part, especially us. We started faster than we had in previous weeks with a 12-0 lead. It should have been more but we continue to have woes in the red zone and in the end, made enough plays to get the win. Here we are, tied for first place in the Pac-12 South with Colorado. We are the only teams with one loss, everyone else has two or more. This is a tough stretch with UCLA coming up this week. At 3-4, they’re a lot more dangerous than their record shows. They have a lot of speed and athleticism and our guys cant be fooled by the record because they have a lot of good players. That’s our challenge this week
On the injuries to Marcus Williams and Sunia Tauteoli
They are not season-ending injuries. So that’s good news. They are at this point, not season-ending.
On Joe Williams
He hit the ground running at practice and came back at the exact same body weight. He was in pretty good shape. His conditioning wasn’t quite at the same level. He had three good days of practice and had a light practice Friday. We didn’t anticipate him having the workload he did, 34 carries. He’s tough kid and wore down a little bit at the end. Towards the end of the game he was getting a little fatigued. It was huge to have him in the backfield. We supplemented him with runs from Cory Butler-Byrd and Troy Williams. We ran the ball 60 times, so we were very fortunate to have Joe available
On the conversations in order to have Joe rejoin the team
Coach Erickson reached out to see if Joe would be receptive. So we wanted to test the waters based on where we stood and we knew his interest level but physically, could he do it. I talked to Joe and he talked to his family members and when all was said and done, he felt it was the right thing to come back and help the football team
On whether the offensive performance at OSU was because of play calling or the opponent’s defense
Partly both. They did some good things in the second half. We didn’t do enough. We should have been more diverse with the play calling. We played thing a little close to the vest. Joe wore down a little. Credit to Oregon State, they came out in the second half and played with a lot of passion
On if there is a concern with the passing game
No, primarily it was the weather’s impact. The wind was pretty stiff and it was raining pretty hard. In retrospect, we should have dialed up more throws, some quick ones that the wind doesn’t affect. Troy was executing what he was given. As coaches, we need to not be as run-heavy and mix it up
On re-thinking fourth-down situations
No, just because we don’t get it doesn’t mean we were tactically wrong. You’re not going to get every one and we thought it was the right decision to make. We use an analytics company to assist us and the last one in particular would have been a 43-yard field goal with a cross wind. It was not a “gimme”. Then we also had fourth-and-a-foot, so it was a higher percentage than attempting the field goal. If we get it, then that’s the ball game. The analytics book said it was the right decision and we agreed.
On who’s in charge ultimately when it comes to offensive play-calling
Offense, I trust those guys. Coach Scalley runs the defense, Coach Roderick on offense and me on special teams. That’s how we operate
On Josh Rosen
First of all he’s a great player. He’s a NFL quarterback, no doubt about it. He has a big arm, size, pocket presence, he’s the prototypical quarterback. He hasn’t played the last couple weeks because he’s been banged up. In warm-ups he looked sore and tender. If he goes we will try and be able to defend him. The backup has a strong arm but not much experience. Still he’s very capable.
On UCLA
They’re very athletic and fast. The way their offensive linemen move. They’ve got some guys. They have a solid corps of wide receivers and the quarterback I talked about. They are leading the league in defensive pass efficiency so they have a lot going for them. They struggle turning the ball over with 14. That’s been an issue for them, possessing the football.
On the advanced analytics
It’s a guideline rather than a rule. If I’m on the fence I get input on every fourth down based on the complexion of the game, if we’ve been moving the line of scrimmage or not. It has an influence but we don’t primarily go off of that – it’s a mixture.
On Chase Hansen
Chase has had an exceptional year and in that game against Washington last year he was the best defensive player on the field, production wise. It’s been a natural transition for him and if Marcus is not available then its next man up. Every week, it seems two or three guys are called upon. Jordan Fogel came in and took Marcus’s place last week and they worked well together.
On Zack Moss returning this week
We hope so. We have a bunch of guys that are questionable. It’s too early in the week to make that determination. It sure would be nice to have more bodies at that position.
On Cody Barton
I thought he responded very well and he is very valuable to our special teams on punts and kickoffs. If Sunia is not available we will lighten his load on special teams. That’s what you have to do with injuries. You have to be ready, when and if, your number is called
On what he thinks the team needs to do in the red zone.
Score more touchdowns. That’s the issue. We don’t want to settle for field goals. It’s better than nothing but touchdowns are what you strive for. It’s on us, the coaches, to put our kids in better position in the red zone. I hate to talk about it too much because then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. We’ve been finding a way to win but we’re leaving a lot of points on the field
On seeing more of Devonta’e Henry-Cole
Yes you will as well as on special teams. He’s a completely unselfish player. He’s a team guy with a great attitude. We received no pushback from him and his mentality was “whatever I can do to help the team.” It’s a tough decision to make halfway through the season. To go from redshirt mode to a guy that’s in the mix – not an easy transition and I’m proud of him for doing that
On if this is his worst year in terms of experiencing injuries
Without a doubt, that’s not up for debate. There’s never been a year like this. It is what it is
On if he has learned anything after being 6-1 the last two seasons
No I don’t think there is anything particular. We know the Pac-12, start to finish is a grind. You better be ready every week. There’s nothing at the 6-1 mark that you knew at the onset. You have to try and keep finding ways to win each week
On the second half of the season struggles the past few seasons
Depth plays a part. We have been steadily building depth the last couple years. It shows up in the last half of the season. Even though we feel better about than any other season, we’re tapped there again with all the injuries. That’s the biggest thing from previous seasons, depth, or lack there of, manifests itself.