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Kyle Whittingham reported Tuesday that every expected incoming player is on track to arrive and enroll by fall camp, that there have been no injuries since the conclusion of spring practices, and that no scholarship players have left the program.

No news, this time of year, is good news.

Utah's summer conditioning program began Monday, and seniors Tim Patrick, Gionni Paul and Kendal Thompson all received full medical clearances after being limited by injuries in spring, Whittingham said. Defensive coordinator John Pease said of senior linebacker Jared Norris, who played through a damaged rib among other ailments last year, "I think we finally got him healthy." Safeties coach Morgan Scalley said the rare downtime has been kind to injury bug-bitten senior safety Tevin Carter, as well.

"It's amazing how quickly people heal when we're playing the next opponent," Pease said, referring to the Sept. 3 opener against Jim Harbaugh's Wolverines. "I'm not saying we weren't hurt, but there's a real desire to get back in the fight."

The list of players who are unable to participate will not come as a surprise to those who followed spring ball: South Carolina transfer cornerback Ahmad Christian is still recovering from a torn Achilles. Sophomore running back Dre'Vian Young is recovering from a knee injury. Sophomore quarterback Brandon Cox is targeting a late-August, early September return after re-injuring his foot in spring, and freshman defensive tackle Vaha Vainuku is likewise recovering from a foot injury that puts this season in doubt for him. (Whittingham said they've tried to find a reason for the rash of foot injuries in recent years but there hasn't been a common denominator.)

New faces will trickle in over the next three weeks, with Utah's orientation on June 24.

Louisiana freshman receiver Alfred Smith has arrived, as has Blinn College wideout Kyle Fulks, who is still going through the admissions process.

The incoming players will be enrolled in summer classes to ease them into the fall frenzy, including a college success class that teaches them what support their advisers offer, how to use the library, effective note-taking and the like.

Qualification for this season is likely to come down to the wire for Gavilan College wideout Deniko Carter — thought to be a potential immediate contributor at a position of need — as it did last season for wideout and returner extraordinaire Kaelin Clay. But at the moment, coaches feel good about Carter's chances.

Whittingham has also heard nothing from any of Utah's six quarterbacks about any intent to transfer. In late December, he responded to a question about the future of Cox, sophomore Conner Manning and freshman Donovan Isom by saying that he thought one or more might leave the program.

Increasingly it seems likely that all three will return. Should one leave, Utah is likely to aggressively pursue former Washington signal-caller Troy Williams, who will ply his trade at Santa Monica College this season and have two years to play two starting in 2016.

Walk-on, walk-off • Scalley may wear as many hats as any coach in the Pac-12. He's the safeties coach, recruiting coordinator, special teams coordinator and he also oversees the walk-ons, a role he inherited when Ilaisa Tuiaki left for Oregon State.

Scalley said the turnover for walk-ons may be higher than usual between spring and fall — simply because a larger than usual number wanted to focus more on academics, start a family or pursue other such personal goals. (Parker Erickson, for instance, left the program to work in the D.C. office of Rep. Jason Chaffetz.)

"When you're paying for school and football's a full-time job, it's just really hard on these walk-ons," Scalley said.

But Scalley wants in-state players to know that walking on at the U. can be a rewarding alternative to playing for scholarship at schools with lesser resources. To that end, he established an annual "walk-on night" in January, inviting players that had caught his eye on tape or whom he'd heard about from local coaches.

Scalley showed them the gear, the food and the facilities that they can expect at the U., and invited a panel of current players to speak to the benefits of walking on. Many prospective players don't know, for instance, that they'll be coached by the same coaches who coach the scholarship players. Yes, national championship winner Dennis Erickson coaches the walk-on running backs, too, he told them.

"It's a really good option, if you can afford to pay the tuition, to come to the University of Utah," Scalley said.

Among the players in attendance who will be Utes this fall are Jordan receiver A.J. Townsend and Judge linebacker Braden Pelly. A few others chose to go on a mission first, and others were unable to qualify but got a taste of the U. that they'll remember if they are able to stand out at a lower level, Scalley said.

Three more new Ute walk-ons to look for this fall: Two offensive linemen from Las Vegas' Palo Verde High — Daniel Heller and Griffin Kemp — and Kahuku, Hawaii, athlete Pena Fitisemanu, nephew of new Utah recruiting assistant Alema Fitisemanu.

A PR boost for Booker • Whittingham began to feel in recent months that Devontae Booker wasn't getting much attention, "after a pretty darn good season last year," and after forgoing the NFL draft to return for his senior season.

So, Whittinham did something a little out of character: He campaigned.

And it worked. FOX Sports' Stewart Mandel proclaimed that "Devontae Booker is officially on the 2015 Heisman radar," among other national mentions of the prolific back.

It hasn't had much effect at the sports books, which still don't offer odds on a Booker Heisman, but Whittingham said his part is done — there will be no special effort to sell voters.

"I think his play will do that. What I wanted to do, what we wanted to do, was just make sure he's on the radar at least."

Steele's standing • Four Utes made Phil Steele's preseason All-Pac-12 first team, with Tom Hackett doubling as a preseason first-team All-American in the eyes of the renowned prognosticator.

Booker, junior defensive end Hunter Dimick and junior kicker Andy Phillips also earned first-team all-conference nods, while Norris was on Steele's second team and senior center Siaosi Aiono and sophomore defensive tackle Lowell Lotulelei made the third team.

Norris was billed by Utah coaches this spring as an NFL talent and ranked fourth in the Pac-12 last season with 116 tackles, but his omission from the first team is not such a slight when you consider the talent ahead of him: Arizona's Scooby Wright, USC's Su'a Cravens, UCLA's Myles Jack and Stanford's Blake Martinez.

Switching it up • There are no known position switches at this time, but that doesn't mean there won't be come fall. Fulks, as we mentioned, will likely start out at slot receiver, but he can also play corner. Fellow JUCO speedster Cory Butler is earmarked right now for corner, but don't be surprised if the offensive coaches wrangle him over to their side of the ball. Likewise, lanky Californian Caleb Repp has some seeing shades of a freshman Trevor Reilly, but Repp also played receiver in high school.

Quite an outfit(ter) you've got there • Whittingham said he enjoyed his annual mid-May trip to the historic Baltimore horse-breeding farm of Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank.

Few wouldn't.

The itinerary: Arrive Thursday, take a cruise of the harbor with a stop to tour the remodeled Under Armour headquarters, then boat over to a snazzy restaurant on the water.

Friday, play the ritzy Caves Valley golf course with the likes of No. 2-ranked golfer in the world Jordan Spieth, before spending the evening at Sagamore Farm with Plank and 2,500 to 3,000 other guests, Whittingham estimates.

There are a wide range of celebrities, he said. Steve Spurrier and Cam Newton have attended the last few years. He's seen the "Duck Dynasty" stars, ESPN's Scott Van Pelt, and last year saw Colin Powell, Tom Brady and Mike Tyson — Whittingham posed for a photo with the former champ while wearing (coincidentally) an Iron Mike T-shirt.

Then, Saturday, he's treated to breakfast and a ticket to the Preakness, where American Pharoah captured the second leg of the triple crown.

Not too shabby, eh?

mpiper@sltrib.com

Twitter: @matthew_piper