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The return of Gionni Paul and a demonstration of versatility from Nate Orchard could not have come at a better time for Utah.
The Utes will need both, without Jason Whittingham.
The Salt Lake Tribune has learned that Utah will likely be without the honorable mention All-Pac-12 linebacker for about two months after an apparent wrist injury he sustained against Fresno State.
Asked at Monday's news conference about his absence from the depth chart, Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham — Jason's uncle — didn't elaborate.
"He won't be available this week," he said. It is Utah's policy not to comment on injuries that are not thought to be season-ending.
As a redshirt sophomore, Whittingham finished with 81 tackles — second on the team behind Trevor Reilly — one sack, five tackles for a loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
The injury isn't his first. The athletic 6-2, 247-pounder missed spring ball after shoulder surgery and sat out two games in 2012 with a knee injury. But, "I think this one is probably a little harder," said senior safety Brian Blechen.
"The start to this season just feels really good," he said. "Not only two big wins, but just the feel of the team, even during practice weeks."
If Whittingham were able to return in eight weeks, that would allow him to practice and play against Stanford, Arizona and Colorado. All he can do in the meantime is hope for a better-case scenario and stay positive, said Blechen.
"Without him, the best thing we can do is win," he said. "The only thing worse than getting injured, is getting injured and not being out there and watching your team lose and feeling like you're not out there helping them."
And onto the bright side: Paul was back practicing after breaking his foot in spring camp, Orchard has already been preparing for a Reilly-esque hybrid end/linebacker role, and senior safeties Blechen and Tevin Carter are physical enough to help in run support.
Paul wasn't made available to media last week, but Blechen said he barely noticed his injury until after practice, when he saw him getting his foot iced. That's standard fare for the comeback trail, said Blechen, who would know after missing last season with knee tendinitis: You really notice it afterward, when the stiffness sets in.
Even if Paul's not yet 100 percent, though, he's a thought to be a difference-maker as a two-time ACC Linebacker of the Week at Miami and a source of boundless energy throughout the first couple weeks of spring.
"With Jason down, Jared [Norris'] and his chemistry, that will be a little different," Blechen said. "But Gionni's played a lot of ball before. He knows his assignments, he's tough, and even though it's going to be his first game back, I think it'll take maybe one, two series. ... He'll fit right in."
If Utah plays from its base 4-3 formation, or the 3-3-5 it showed Fresno State, Orchard will then line up at stud linebacker and, presumably, both Jason Fanaika and Hunter Dimick will play at the end sports.
Kyle Whittingham said Monday that Utah hasn't needed to field three linebackers as often with all the nickel they've played in recent years, and if there are only two needed, it will be Paul and junior Jared Norris, and Orchard will return to his position at right end.
Twitter: @matthew_piper