This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
When wide receiver Dominick Ela walks on to the Utes this fall, it will mark a reversal of roles between he and junior quarterback Travis Wilson.
This time, Ela's the new guy.
Wilson was a sophomore at San Clemente, backing up current Green Bay Packers quarterback Chase Rettig, while Ela was the team's leading receiver as a senior. When Ela had to miss a game with an injury, Wilson subbed in at wideout and scored a touchdown.
"He was a freak athlete," Ela said of Wilson. "He was probably the best athlete to come out of San Clemente. He was kind of like Superman."
Ela says Wilson didn't persuade him to be a Ute, but it's a "huge plus," and the two will be roommates in Salt Lake City.
Ela grayshirted and then redshirted before starting two seasons at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif.
He played in just seven games last season before blowing out every ligament in his left knee. When that happened, the attention he was getting from Division I schools dried up. Still, he led the Gauchos with 774 receiving yards and says his left knee now feels even stronger than his right.
Standing 6 feet and tipping the scales 190 pounds, Ela describes himself as a possession receiver, "always concentrating on catching the football."
He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
— Matthew Piper
Twitter: @matthew_piper