Utah
What anonymous Big 12 coaches said about Utah
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What are Big 12 coaches saying about the Utah Utes as they get set for their first season in the conference?
Athlon Sports recently spoke to coaches from across the Big 12, granting anonymity so they could speak freely, to find out what they thought of the Utes. The remarks about Kyle Whittingham’s program from his peers were all positive.
On quarterback Cameron Rising:
“If (QB Cameron) Rising is back and healthy all season, they’ve got a legit shot at a first-year Big 12 title,” an anonymous Big 12 coach said.
One anonymous Big 12 coach complimented Utah’s veteran quarterback, who returns this season after missing all of 2023 following surgery to repair his torn ACL, meniscus, MPFL and MCL.
For the Utes, Rising has helped revitalize their offense, leading them to back-to-back Pac-12 titles and throwing for a combined 5,527 yards and 46 touchdowns with 13 interceptions and a 64.25% completion rate in his last two seasons.
When healthy, Rising has been the perfect signal-caller for Andy Ludwig’s offense, but it remains to be seen how he will fare in a game in his return from injury. In spring, though, Rising looked good and moved well.
‘It’s definitely these guys on Day 1’
“If you had to pick one program coming in from the Pac-12 as a legit contender, it’s definitely these guys on Day 1. They’re replacing a lot of guys in the WR group and secondary, but the system and culture there is so steady,” another Big 12 anonymous coach said.
Utah is replacing some key wide receivers in Devaughn Vele, who was drafted by the Denver Broncos, and Mikey Matthews, who transferred to Cal, but the Utes ended up upgrading that position group this offseason.
USC transfer receiver Dorian Singer, who had 66 receptions for 1,105 yards and six touchdowns in 2022 at Arizona before seeing a drop-off at USC the next season, where he had 24 catches for 289 yards, is a prime candidate for WR1.
Syracuse transfer Damien Alford, who caught 33 balls for 610 yards and three scores, could replace Matthews in the slot, and Mycah Pittman, whose season was cut short to two games last year, could also fill that role. Money Parks (31 receptions for 293 yards and two touchdowns) is another key target for Rising.
The secondary has two huge holes after safeties Cole Bishop and Sione Vaki were drafted, but Utah feels confident in the ability of cornerback-turned-safety Tao Johnson and one of Nate Ritchie, Johnathan Hall and Stanford transfer Alaka’i Gilman to fill the other spot.
At cornerback, where the Utes have one open starting position, Georgia Tech transfer Kenan Johnson (29 tackles, two forced fumbles, four pass breakups and an interception) is the favorite to win the job.
‘Better than their record in ′23′
“This team was way better than their record in ‘23 when you factor injuries, especially on offense,” an anonymous Big 12 coach said.
Utah went 8-4 last year amid a long list of injuries — Rising, tight end Brant Kuithe, tight end Thomas Yassmin, running back Chris Curry, wide receiver Mycah Pittman, linebacker Lander Barton, defensive end Logan Fano and defensive end Jonah Elliss (missed last two games) all missed time, and several other players missed at least a couple of games.
The quarterback situation was not ideal. Bryson Barnes had a couple of good games in wins over Florida and USC, but faded toward the end of the season as the Utes lost three of their last four, including an ugly 14-7 bowl loss to Northwestern. Nate Johnson didn’t fare any better in his stints, aside from leading the Utes to a win over Baylor.
With Rising back, a lot of Utah’s offensive woes from last season can be fixed if he plays like he did in 2022 and 2023.
‘Bullying finesse offenses’
“They’re coming from a conference where they built a brand by bullying finesse offenses and creating that crazy home environment,” an anonymous Big 12 coach said.
Considering Utah’s offense scored just 23.1 points per game (96th in the nation) last season, and 8-5 record wasn’t the worst possible outcome.
Things could have become a lot uglier for the Utes had their defense not answered the call for the majority of the games.
Utah allowed just 19.3 points per game in 2023, ranking No. 21 in the NCAA. Against some of the best quarterbacks in college football, the Utes allowed 224.4 passing yards per game (65th in the country) and only 82.8 rushing yards per game (fourth in the country).
The Utes have built a brand on consistent, tough defense during Whittingham’s tenure, and it’s usually the first thing opposing coaches mention about the Utes.
As mentioned above, there’s three open spots in the secondary to fill, but the Utes are loaded at linebacker — even with the injury to Levani Damuni, who will miss at least a large chunk of the season. Along the defensive line, Utah returns all of its starters except for Elliss, who was the Utes’ best defensive player last year, leading the nation in sacks per game last season (1.2), even while playing six games with a torn labrum.
Utah’s familiarity with the Big 12
Utah has played five schools in the Big 12 — Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, TCU and BYU more than five times in the Kyle Whittingham era, and Utah has faced three other current Big 12 teams with Whittingham at the helm — Iowa State (2010), West Virginia (2017) and Baylor (2023).
The Utes will face seven other schools — UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech — for the first time in the modern era over the coming years.
Utah’s 2024 Big 12 slate features home games vs. Arizona, TCU, BYU and Iowa State and road games against Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Houston, Colorado and UCF.
In case you missed it
Kyle Whittingham and Kalani Sitake, who was on Whittingham’s staff at the time, recall Tennessee’s courtship of the Utah head coach in 2010 — and why Whittingham stayed.
From the archive
Extra points
- How Kalani Sitake and Kyle Whittingham view recent developments in NCAA structure, college football (Deseret News)
- Former Utah star Alissa Pili goes off for first 20-point game in young WNBA career (Deseret News)
- What Mike Gundy said about the Utes under Kyle Whittingham (Deseret News)
Utah
Utah man dies of injuries sustained in avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A man died after he was caught in an avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon over the weekend.
A spokesperson for the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Thursday that Kevin Williams, 57, had died.
He, along with one other person, was hospitalized in critical condition after Saturday’s avalanche in the backcountry.
MORE | Big Cottonwood Canyon Avalanche
In an interview with 2News earlier this week, one of Williams’ close friends, Nate Burbidge, described him as a loving family man.
“Kevin’s an amazing guy. He’s always serving, looking for ways that he can connect with others,” Burbidge said.
A GoFundMe was set up to help support Williams’ family.
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Utah
911 recordings detail hours leading up to discovery of Utah girl, mother dead in Las Vegas
CONTENT WARNING: This report discusses suicide and includes descriptions of audio from 911 calls that some viewers may find disturbing.
LAS VEGAS — Exclusively obtained 911 recordings detail the hours leading up to the discovery of an 11-year-old Utah girl and her mother dead inside a Las Vegas hotel room in an apparent murder-suicide.
Addi Smith and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, lived in West Jordan and had traveled to Nevada for the JAMZ cheerleading competition.
The calls show a growing sense of urgency from family members and coaches, and several hours passing before relatives learned what happened.
MORE | Murder-Suicide
Below is a timeline of the key moments, according to dispatch records. All times are Pacific Time.
10:33 a.m. — Call 1
After Addi and her mother failed to appear at the cheerleading competition, Addi’s father and stepmother called dispatch for a welfare check.
Addi and her mother were staying at the Rio hotel. The father told dispatch that hotel security had already attempted contact.
“Security went up and knocked on the door. There’s no answer or response it doesn’t look like they checked out or anything…”
11:18 a.m. and 11:27 a.m. — Calls 2 and 3
As concern grew, Addi’s coach contacted the police two times within minutes.
“We think the child possibly is in imminent danger…”
11:26 a.m. — Call 4
Addi’s stepmother placed another call to dispatch, expressing escalating concern.
“We are extremely concerned we believe that something might have seriously happened.”
She said that Tawnia’s car was still at the hotel.
Police indicated officers were on the way.
2:26 p.m. — Call 5
Nearly three hours after the initial welfare check request, fire personnel were en route to the scene. It appeared they had been in contact with hotel security.
Fire told police that they were responding to a possible suicide.
“They found a note on the door.”
2:35 p.m. — Call 6
Emergency medical personnel at the scene told police they had located two victims.
“It’s going to be gunshot wound to the head for both patients with notes”
A dispatcher responded:
“Oh my goodness that’s not okay.”
2:36 p.m. — Call 7
Moments later, fire personnel relayed their assessment to law enforcement:
“It’s going to be a murder suicide, a juvenile and a mother.”
2:39 p.m. — Call 8
Unaware of what had been discovered, Addi’s father called dispatch again.
“I’m trying to file a missing persons report for my daughter.”
He repeats the details he knows for the second time.
3:13 p.m. — Call 9
Father and stepmother call again seeking information and continue to press for answers.
“We just need some information. There was a room check done around 3:00 we really don’t know where to start with all of this Can we have them call us back immediately?”
Dispatch responded:
“As soon as there’s a free officer, we’ll have them reach out to you.”
4:05 p.m. — Call 10
More than an hour later, Addi’s father was put in contact with the police on the scene. He pleaded for immediate action.
“I need someone there I need someone there looking in that room”
The officer confirmed that they had officers currently in the room.
Addi’s father asks again what they found, if Addi and her mother are there, and if their things were missing.
The officer, who was not on scene, said he had received limited information.
5:23 p.m. — Call 11
Nearly seven hours after the first welfare check request, Addi’s grandmother contacted police, describing conflicting information circulating within the family.
“Some people are telling us that they were able to get in, and they were not in the hotel room, and other people saying they were not able to get in the hotel room, and we need to know”
She repeated the details of the case. Dispatch said officers will call her back once they have more information.
Around 8:00 p.m. — Press Conference
Later that evening, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police held a news conference confirming that Addi and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, were found dead inside the hotel room.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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Utah
Ban on AI glasses in Utah classrooms inches closer to passing
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — AI glasses could allow you to get answers, snap photos, access audio and take phone calls—and now a proposal moving through the legislature would ban the glasses from Utah school classrooms.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Kizzy Guyton Murphy, a mother who accompanied her child’s class on a field trip to the state Capitol on Wednesday. “You can’t see inside what the student is looking at, and it’s just grounds for cheating.”
Mom Tristan Davies Seamons also sees trouble with AI glasses.
“I don’t think they should have any more technology in schools than they currently have,” she said.
Her twin daughters, fourth graders Finley and Grayson, don’t have cell phones yet.
“Not until we’re like 14,” said Grayson, adding they do have Chromebooks in school.
2News sent questions to the Utah State Board of Education:
- Does it have reports of students using AI glasses?
- Does it see cheating and privacy as major concerns?
- Does it support a ban from classrooms?
Matt Winters, USBE AI specialist, said the board has not received reports from school districts of students with AI glasses.
“Local Education Agencies (school districts) have local control over these decisions based on current law and code,” said Winters. “The Board has not taken a position on AI glasses.
MORE | Utah State Legislature:
Some districts across the country have reportedly put restrictions on the glasses in schools.
“I think it should be up to the teachers,” said Briauna Later, another mother who is all for preventing cheating, but senses a ban could leave administrators with tired eyes.
“It’s one more thing for the administration to have to keep track of,” said Later.
The proposal, HB 42, passed the House and cleared a Senate committee on Wednesday.
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