This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Impressed with the way freshman quarterback Travis Wilson ran in Thursday's scrimmage, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said there might be some opportunities to use Wilson in the wildcat formation. That might not be a bad idea, especially since Utah's offensive line remains the team's biggest question mark. Linemen Vyncent Jones (hamstring) and Miles Mason (ankle sprain) remain sidelined with injuries. While the Utes expect both back in time for the season opener, their absences show just how thin the Utes are on the line. Freshman Kala Friel has made the most improvement among the backups, but the Utes need more production out of the others. "I'm not concerned with the inside three," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. "But the tackles remain a work in progress." Protecting quarterback Jordan Wynn is a big concern for the Utes, given his history of injuries, so finding the backups is going to remain a priority for the Utes. Unfortunately the Utes only have a few weeks left to fill those holes. Couple impressions from the limited time media members were able to watch the scrimmage. Safety Eric Rowe is solid and could be in for a breakout season. He made a leaping pass breakup that showed off his 38-inch vertical leap. The defensive line is solid, but the linebackers are much like the offensive line and remain a work in progress. However, the Utes seem to have plenty of depth there and have been strong in that area in the past. I doubt it will be much of a weakness this year. Defensive lineman Star Lotulelei, named to SI.com's preseason All-America team Thursday, sat out the scrimmage along with running back John White. Be sure to check out all the coverage of the Utes on our site.