Utes Spring Ball Recap: The Pads Are Popping, Again

Things are beginning to get real in the Utes fourth full day of Spring practices, with pads back on and the team going through live work for the first time in 2024. As usual this time of year, head coach Kyle Whittingham is feeling good about the progress the team is making but recognizes there is still plenty of work to get done.

"Good practice, first day in full pads, first live work, some rough spots, we definitely got a lot to work on, there's no doubt about that,” Whittingham said. “There is going to be a learning curve, especially for some of the new guys that haven't practiced at this pace, from the places that they've been. But we continue to make progress, four down, eleven to go. So far I would say that we're on track and again, we've got to get a lot accomplished in these next eleven practices."

One thing that is beginning to take form is the safety room. Following the departures of Cole Bishop and Sione Vaki to the NFL Draft, several Utes are getting the opportunity to step in and take hold of the starting positions, and Whittingham narrowed it down to four players to do just that at this point of practices.

"Good group of safeties; we’ve got four guys who are really taking charge,” he said. “Nate Ritchie, Jono Hall are doing a really nice job and really performing well. Then the Gilman kid who just transferred in from Stanford is showing a lot of promise. Tao Johnson, we think is going to be a really special. He's made the transition so far from corner to safety seamlessly. It appears that he's very comfortable there and barring injuries or unforeseen things, he's found a home at the safety spot."

Two of the offensive leaders that missed all of the 2023 season due to injury, Cam Rising and Brant Kuithe, have continued to stay healthy and the return of their leadership has made an immediate impact on the entire team.

“(Rising) is shaking off some rust, he's getting the arm strength back,” Whittingham said. “He's our leader and it's a whole different feel out here when he is out here."

While the tight end room has been a little dinged up during spring ball, Kuithe has been going strong, and he seems to be impacting the other tight ends around him.

"We've got about half of them in the training room, injured, so we've got to get them back on the field,” Whittingham said of the tight ends “But the ones that are practicing are doing a good job, including Brant Kuithe. It's great to have Brant out here, much like having Cam out there, having Brant out there is providing leadership. It's just great to have him back."

The other tight ends that have been turning heads are Landen King and Dallen Bentley.

"Landen continues to develop, he still needs to add some weight, he's added a few pounds since the season, but he's still got about 10 pounds to go before he is a finished product in that regard,” Whittingham said. “But he's a tremendous threat as a receiver and as soon as he gets that weight on his frame he'll be an even better blocker."

As for Bentley, he’s finally healthy and starting to show signs of becoming a producer on the field for Utah.

“He's a guy that is starting to come into his own,” Whittingham said. “He came to us late last year, really was trying to figure things out, battled injuries all season long. He's healthy now, he's got the offense down, and he's really starting to make some plays."

The Utes will continue practices until April 13th, when they will scrimmage in the 22 Forever Spring Game before taking a break from official practices until the fall.