Utah Head Coach Kyle Whittinghams’ Assessment Of 22 Forever Spring Game
Apr 13, 2024, 4:59 PM | Updated: Apr 15, 2024, 2:30 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah football checked another box off Saturday completing their spring practices as they prepare for the 2024 season and move to the Big 12 Conference.
As the Utes shut things down a little for summer, head coach Kyle Whittingham gave his final assessment on how his team performed through spring practices and the 22 Forever Game.
Generally speaking, the outlook for the 2024 Utah Utes is positive as they head toward some down time before ramping things back up again.
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Whittingham’s Overall Impressions After The 22 Forever Game
Whittingham’s general impression of Utah’s spring practices and the 22 Forever game are pretty positive while also acknowledging there is more work to be done.
“It was a great day for the fans to come out and look at the new edition of the Utes- the ’24 edition,” Whittingham said. “It was great to have Cam [Rising] out there. Cam did not miss one minute of spring ball in any way, shape, or form. He was back to his old self. Great to see Brant Kuithe back out there. A lot of new guys. You saw a lot of new editions make plays. Overall, it was a big step forward for us and now it’s time to get back in the weight room when they come back from break in May. We’ll take another step forward there.”
Thank you to everyone who came out for the spring game 🙌 We’re excited to see you all again in the fall!
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) April 13, 2024
Utah’s seasoned head coach pointed out a few things he feels confident in moving forward into the off-season including the Utes’ ability on the offensive and defensive line, as well as the quarterback room with Cam Rising leading the way.
“We feel like we are really good- have a lot of depth on both the offensive and defensive lines,” Whittingham said. “If you are going to have a strength of the team- that’s a pretty good place to have it. Then the quarterbacks. Obviously, when you have Cam back, it gives the offense their confidence back- it gives them the belief that we can get things done. He’s such a leader for us.”
The Backup Quarterback Battle Will Continue Through Fall
Both Brandon Rose and freshman Isaac Wilson have been battling hard all spring for the backup quarterback job behind starter Cam Rising. While it was Wilson’s day to shine in the 22 Forever game, Whittingham anticipates a good battle that will continue through fall camp.
“Isaac looked really good today,” Whittingham said. “He’s a talented kid and handled the stage I guess you could say very well. He and Brandon will continue to battle through fall camp, but Isaac certainly took a big step forward today.”
👑 #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/2JarVSODzH
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) April 13, 2024
Defensive Standouts For The Utes
Utah had a lot of their starters sitting for the spring game. They also had to put a lot of parameters around the defense to prevent injuries. Despite that, Whittingham saw a few guys who made the most of the opportunity and expects to see more when the coaches breakdown the film.
“I’d say Cam [Calhoun] did a good job at the corner spot,” Whittingham said. “He made a lot of plays. Moroni Anae showed up and made a lot of plays. A lot of tackles and had the pick six. Aliki Vimahi did a nice job at d-tackle. We’ll have to watch the film to get all of the particulars down, but those guys really stood out.”
On lock 🔒 @Camcalhoun01 pic.twitter.com/B8lWR02Fl2
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) April 13, 2024
Dorian Singer Fitting Right In During Spring Practices At Utah
Utah made some waves landing standout receiver Dorian Singer from the transfer portal this winter and he’s wasted no time fitting in according to Whittingham.
Dimes to Dorian 🎯@crising7 @dorian_singer1 pic.twitter.com/eso99Jlhwd
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) April 13, 2024
“He and Cam have a good chemistry already,” Whittingham said. “He really adds to what we are doing offensively, and you may see us add another receiver or two from the portal before we get into fall camp.”
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on X, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports
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