The Utah Utes start spring football practice Tuesday. "Thank goodness" is what I can hear Utah fans muttering everywhere.
What a stretch it has been for the Utes' major winter sports. The men's basketball team has fallen far short of last year's run to the NCAA tournament, with the taste of last week's bitter loss to BYU still hanging around. The Utah women's basketball team saw its five-game winning streak end in a similar thumping by the Cougars, and even Utah's usually reliable gymnastics team has struggled, at least by its standards.
The Ute gymnasts are ranked in the Top 10 nationally, but have lost two meets this season, something they hadn't done since 2007. They have their biggest challenges ahead with a trip to No. 4 Florida coming up and a visit from No. 6 Oregon State this week.
So, thank goodness for spring ball, where the Utes are at least assured of a win in their own Red-White game.
If there was ever any debate remaining whether Utah was a basketball school, a football school or both, fans' reactions and anticipations have seemed to settle the matter, judging from their e-mails and questions to me.
Instead of people wondering how the Utes might do in the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament or how David Foster's ankle is, people want to know if quarterback Jordan Wynn is still putting on the pounds as the coaches wished (yes, he is) and if Matt Asiata will participate in spring ball since he still is recovering from knee surgery (no, he won't).
Sure, the Utes' basketball teams could get it together and make a run in the MWC Tournament, which would bring some fans back to the present with March Madness. But truth be told, the Utah-BYU game was an indication of just where fans' mentality is.
The Huntsman Center sold out for the first time this season, but fans were headed for the exits at halftime.
So on and off the bandwagon fans go. Right now the football bandwagon looks like a good one to be riding.
There is no need to worry about the quarterback situation. In addition to Wynn returning, the Utes have back most of their offensive line -- along with veteran running backs and some promising receivers.
The defense lacks experience, but coach Kyle Whittingham and his staff have proved time and time again they can make the necessary defensive adjustments to be successful.
The Utes also signed one of their best recruiting classes in years.
Yes indeed, spring holds lots of promise for the Utes, March Madness be damned.
