Utah
How Utah overcame its worst defensive outing of the season to beat Baylor in decisive fashion
Kyle Whittingham most likely wouldn’t have believed it if he had been told prior to Saturday’s Big 12 bout against Baylor that Utah would go on to win by double-digits while giving up over 500 total yards, running 30 fewer plays and losing the time of possession battle by a difference of roughly 6 minutes.
Oh, and that the engine of his offense would be limited all night due to injury, requiring some in-game adjustments and faith in a true freshman quarterback to close out a must-have win on the road.
Those factors and obstacles made for one of the more unique outcomes Whittingham’s been a part of in his 24 full seasons at the helm of the Utes, who managed to overcome an abnormal defensive outing in a 55-28 victory over the Bears from McLane Stadium on Saturday.
“It’s the most unique win, I guess you could say in the the short term past,” Whittingham said after the game. “It was definitely a back and forth and defensively, we usually control things a little bit better.”
Indeed, Utah had been stout all season, allowing just 156.8 yards through the air per game going into Saturday’s matchup against the league’s top-ranked air attack.
The Utes caught some breaks early on but eventually let a few big plays slip through the cracks, leaving the door open for the Bears to hang in the first half despite a rough start from Sawyer Robertson. The nation’s leader in touchdown passes heading into Week 12 missed on eight of his first 11 throws — some of which were gimmes for someone of his talent — though he connected on a 64-yard bomb to Kole Wilson to get Baylor in field goal range, making it 21-10 in the second quarter, then hit Josh Cameron for a score in the final seconds of the first half after a perfect pass to Ashtyn Hawkins got the Bears within striking distance.
Utah’s pass rush was disruptive in key spots, though outside of a few stops in the red zone, the secondary had to try to keep up with Baylor’s plethora of talented receiving threats.
“That receiving core is outstanding, and the tight end (Michael Trigg), you’ll be seeing him play on Sunday for a long time,” Whittingham said. “But we got to do a little better job of winning more of the 50-50 balls.”
Just as Whittingham could’ve expected in the lead up to Saturday’s game that Baylor’s potent air attack would present quite the challenge for his defensive backs group, it would’ve been reasonable for him to think the Utes offense would have success on the ground much they like did through their first nine games of the season.
Even so, he probably didn’t account for three 60-plus yard scores being the difference makers.
Utah, which entered the game with 16 scoring drives of 10 plays or more on the season, didn’t need to worry about moving the chains with Wayshawn Parker and Byrd Ficklin ripping off chunk plays every time they touched the ball. Ficklin broke off a 67-yard score in the second quarter courtesy of some solid blocking up front, giving the Utes a spark while Devon Dampier took it easy due to an injury.
Parker’s turn came a few minutes later, as the sophomore back took advantage of Baylor putting just five defenders in the box with a 64-yard burst right up the middle, extending Utah’s lead to 28-10 with just over 4 minutes left in the first half.
Just like that, Utah went from 11 rushes for 43 yards in the first quarter to 19 for 179 at the halftime break. Baylor, though, racked up 362 total yards of offense, the most Utah had allowed in a first half since 2022, but had to settle for three field goal tries inside the Utes’ 25-yard line after failing to put the ball in the end zone.
Baylor finished with 563 total yards of offense — the most Utah’s allowed through its first 10 games — and ran 91 total plays to the Utes’ 59. Scooby Davis’ 65-yard interception returned for a touchdown in the first quarter probably skewed how the final stats looked, though the junior’s first touchdown of the season set the tone for the kind of night it was going to be for Utah.
Ficklin kept it rolling in the third quarter with an incredible individual effort on a 74-yard touchdown run, in which he shrugged off a tackle attempt from Bears safety Tyler Turner with a stiff arm to record the Utes’ longest rush of the season from scrimmage. That made it 35-20 in favor of the Utes after Robertson and company cut their deficit to eight on the previous drive.
The Utes continued to lean on their offensive line to get the job done in the trenches for the remainder of the second half. Between Ficklin and Dampier, Utah attempted just five passes after halftime, yet the Utes never relinquished control when it seemed like the Bears were ready to make a late push.
Led by Ficklin’s 166 rush yards, Utah tallied 380 yards on the ground while averaging 8.8 per carry. Parker crossed the 100-yard threshold for the third consecutive game, finishing with 129 on 15 attempts. As a team, the Utes went for over 200 rush yards for the fifth consecutive game, their longest such streak since 2018.
“That offensive line is a huge reason why we’re able to do that week in and week out,” Whittingham said. “Credit the way they played.”
Despite its inconsistencies all night, Utah’s secondary helped deliver the final nail in the coffin early in the fourth quarter with a second interception off Robertson, who got drilled on a nickel blitz by Jackson Bennee as his pass was picked off by Trey Reynolds, setting the Utes up on the Bears’ 9-yard line following a 31-yard return from the 6-foot-1 junior.
Utah scored moments later after Dampier swung a short pass out to Parker for his second touchdown of the night, making it 49-20 with just over 11 minutes left in regulation.
And so, in a game where Robertson throws for 430 yards and Baylor has two 100-yard receivers, plus a running back who had almost 100 yards on the ground, Utah’s knack for explosive plays wound up outweighing its defensive lapses and subsequently, keep the Utes’ College Football Playoff hopes alive with a decisive victory.
Even if it wasn’t the script Whittingham had drawn up in his head going in.
“There was a lot of back and forth there for a while, but we just kept, kept at it, and answered the bell every time,” Whittingham said. “A lot a lot of things in that game that both sides did well, but we did enough to get the win.”
MORE UTAH NEWS & ANALYSIS
The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City issued red flag warning Friday morning as emergency workers continued to battle one of the state’s largest wildfires in its history.
The red flag warning, issued when critical fire warnings are occurring or imminent, was to be in place through midnight Saturday.
“This is the FIRST Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning issued in NWS Salt Lake City history. This is an exceptionally rare event,” the federal agency said in its warning.
A map of the area under the warning covered much of central and southwest Utah, with an area of the southwest, central and southern mountains also outlined as “particularly dangerous red flag.”
The particularly dangerous area includes the Cottonwood Fire, near the town of Beaver, which started Monday and had grown to covering almost nearly 71,000 acres by Thursday, 15 News reported. The fire forced evacuations.
The NWS warned that gusty winds and dry conditions would lead to rapid fire growth.
Utah also was dealing with the Iron Fire, which started June 19, and nearly destroyed the town of Eureka. The fire was about 27% contained Friday morning.
The fire danger led Utah Gov. Spencer Cox to issue executive order restricting fireworks statewide during the July 4 holiday, which marks the nation’s 250th birthday this year. The ban is in effect through July 5.
“Nothing about this decision was easy,” Cox said in a statement issued by his office Thursday.
“This is unlike anything we’ve seen in recent memory. We’re seeing fires spread farther and faster under conditions that defy historical expectations” Jamie Barnes, Utah state forester and director of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, added in the statement.
Cox allowed cities and local communities to set aside areas where fireworks could be safely used. The city of Provo announced it would enforce a citywide prohibition on fireworks and would not designate a safe area for fireworks.
“This year is different,” Provo Mayor Marsha Judkins said in a statement. “The wildfire danger facing our community is real, and protecting lives, homes, and our natural spaces must come first.”
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Earlier this month, 2News Investigates brought you a former inmate’s federal lawsuit alleging Utah Department of Corrections leaders failed to address reports of alleged sexual assault by correctional officers. Now, 2News Investigates examines another key claim in that lawsuit.
MORE: Federal lawsuit alleges Utah prison leaders covered up guards’ sexual assaults on inmates
The lawsuit alleges a mass cross-gender strip-search operation – women being viewed by men was intended to further silence female inmates.
Federal law generally prohibits cross-gender strip searches of female inmates except during emergencies or when conducted by medical personnel. UDC says that during body-search procedures, male correctional officers are not allowed in the immediate area and inmate privacy is maintained. Former inmates say that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Three former inmates agreed to speak with 2News Investigates but asked that their identities not be revealed.
“It was very traumatic.”
According to the lawsuit, on May 13, 2025, UDC carried out a large-scale operation known as a “reset” in women’s housing units at the Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF) in Salt Lake City.
Wendy: “They call it a reset. What do you call it?”
“A violation.”
“It’s like a rape.”
The lawsuit alleges UDC Deputy Warden Derick Zorn and Warden Sharon D’Amico directed the operation, along with more than a dozen members of the Critical Incident Response Team, or CIRT.
According to the plaintiffs, officers stormed dormitories, shouted profanities, and issued conflicting commands.
The women say and the lawsuit states they were ordered to pack their belongings into totes and change into state-issued uniforms in front of male CIRT officers. They were then marched to the Emerald Building for processing.
“It felt almost like we were at a concentration camp.”
The lawsuit alleges the women were required to undergo body scans and then strip completely naked. Plaintiffs claim they were ordered to lift their breasts, spread their buttocks, and cough while visible to male staff.
Women who were menstruating allegedly were instructed to remove menstrual products in full view of others.
“Just use one hand to remove it. Hold it up in front of you.”
“I felt really small and worthless.”
The lawsuit alleges some women were forced to hold soiled menstrual pads while performing physical maneuvers.
“I just did what I was told. I just wanted to get it over with.”
The plaintiffs also claim they were required to sit on toilets or squat to provide urine samples while completely naked and visible to male officers.
“It was humiliating. It was degrading.”
The lawsuit further alleges cell doors were left open, exposing naked women to other inmates and male staff.
An overhead observation booth with reflective glass overlooked the strip-search area. Plaintiffs say they observed movement inside and believed they were being watched from above.
The lawsuit alleges the female inmates were being watched from above during a mass strip search on May 13, 2025
“I could see in the overhead, the two-way mirror. There were multiple men walking around up there who had direct vision inside those cells.”
The lawsuit alleges Captain Jared Beers and Lieutenant Matthew Coombs were inside the booth and that Deputy Warden Derick Zorn observed women in various states of undress.
“I made eye contact with Officer Arroyo, and I also saw Deputy Zorn.”
“I knew if I could see the male officers, they could see me.”
One former inmate described the experience as state-sanctioned sexual violence.
“When that happens, and you’ve gone through the same kind of thing as a child, it’s very traumatic.”
The lawsuit alleges Warden D’Amico knew male officers were viewing naked female inmates and “ratified, condoned, and failed to stop it.”
An allegation in the lawsuit filed on May 15, 2026
“You’re pretty much a hostage.”
UDC Executive Director Jared Garcia declined repeated requests for an on-camera interview. A letter sent said:
“During the body search process in female living areas, male correctional officers are not allowed in the immediate area, and privacy is maintained. In general, resets are conducted routinely, according to UDC policy and under strict protocols designed to ensure safety while also preserving the privacy and dignity of incarcerated individuals.”
“The manner matters.”
Walter Mason represents the plaintiffs.
He told 2News Investigates, “The law protects inmates from being exposed to members of the opposite sex viewing their naked bodies unless there’s an emergency. Unless there’s what the law calls an exigent circumstance, the prison can take necessary actions to protect safety. There was no emergency. There was no exigency.”
UDC says the reset involved approximately 150 trained staff members and was conducted according to department policy.
UDC’s letter goes on to say:
“Every effort was made to treat belongings with care and document confiscated items appropriately. UDC stands by our methods and policies, which are intended to maintain the highest standards of integrity, safety, and efficiency during the reset process.”
Written response from the Utah Department of Corrections regarding 2News investigations
I asked UDC whether any exigent circumstances existed on May 13, 2025, during the reset operation.
The response:
“No exigent circumstances occurred on May 13, 2025.”
I also requested information about what items were confiscated. UDC said it could not provide a specific list.
Response to questions posed by 2News Investigates to UDC regarding mass strip search and if exigent circumstances existed that day
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and accuses the defendants, all supervisors, of participating in a “coordinated effort to humiliate, mock, and psychologically degrade the plaintiffs … operating with a brazen and intentional disregard for clearly established law, fueled by an institutional custom of impunity.”
_____
Utah
Utah Royals FC Announce the Addition of Assistant Coach Jessie van den Broek to 2026 Coaching Staff | Utah Royals
HERRIMAN, Utah – (Thursday, June 25, 2026) – URFC announced today the addition of assistant coach Jessie van den Broek to the 2026 technical staff.
The Dutchwoman brings experience from several levels of soccer across Europe. Her coaching journey has steadily progressed through commitment to player development, making her a strong addition to the Royals as the club continues to build for the future.
After gaining coaching experience at various levels, van den Broek made the jump to professional soccer in Germany’s Bundesliga, joining as an assistant coach and second in command to head coach Robert de Pauw and helping to support the club in its sixth place finish during the 2023-24 season. After a year and a half in Germany, she followed de Pauw to England, joining the coaching staff of Aston Villa Women, continuing to expand her experience in one of Europe’s top leagues.
In 2025, van den Broek returned to her native country of the Netherlands to join the coaching staff of HERA United, the country’s first stand-alone women’s soccer club. Her work with HERA United further strengthened her coaching abilities and her dedication to the women’s game. Following the conclusion of the club’s season in May 2026, she has now accepted her first position overseas, joining the Utah Royals, bringing the international experience and diverse coaching background with her.
Away from the pitch, van den Broek attended Radbound University in the Netherlands, earning a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration. She also earned an A Licence through the Union of European Football Associations in 2025. Her combination of education and coaching credentials, along with her experience in Germany, England and the Netherlands gives Utah Royals FC a coach with high-level experience and a proven commitment to the game of women’s soccer.
The Royals return to NWSL play on July 5 to take on the Chicago Stars at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium with kickoff set for 3:00 p.m. MT. The match is available to watch on CBS Sports Network and KMYU.
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