This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
It was never all good for Travis Wilson and Adam Schulz.
Both threw bad interceptions in Utah's second football scrimmage of the spring. Both made bad reads at times, and both had moments of spotty play. Co-offensive coordinator Dennis Erickson said as much in postgame interviews.
Here's the thing, though. Both had extended patches of brilliance. Schulz's came early, while Wilson's came late after he had established some chemistry with his wide receivers.
"I thought that I played well after I got comfortable," Wilson said. "I made some mistakes that I know I have to clean up and get better at. But it was a good scrimmage; I think we all did some good things out there."
With a curious crowd looking on at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Utah held an extensive scrimmage on Friday, going through a number of different scenarios. It was another opportunity for Erickson's shiny new uptempo offense to make an impact on the fanbase.
The anointed starter heading into fall camp, Wilson went 11 for 25 for 146 yards. He threw two interceptions, but also tossed a touchdown pass. Schulz went 13 for 22 for 175 yards. He threw two touchdowns and also two interceptions.
It was an up-and-down day for both, along with true freshman Brandon Cox. But for the first time in at least a few years, head coach Kyle Whittingham isn't losing sleep at night, wondering where his quarterback is going to come from.
"It's been a while, but we have options this year," Whittingham said. "There are a number of very talented guys that can get the job done, and that's a good thing. We have a number of areas that are going to be real competitive, and that's a good thing."
A number of players put in good performances. Wideout Dres Anderson caught six passes for 103 yards and a touchdown. James Poole ran for three touchdowns and gained 68 yards on 12 carries. Lucky Radley scored a touchdown on the ground, as did former Layton High star Karl Williams.
The offense displayed an aggression vertically that wasn't present a year ago, throwing the ball down the field and opening up running lanes at the same time. Whittingham said he wasn't as happy with the defense, but gave them a bit of a pass due to lingering injuries.
"You have to understand we have almost half our starters on defense out," Whittingham said. "I thought the defense was a bit soft today, but that's understandable."
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Highlights
O Travis Wilson throws a touchdown and two interceptions, and Dres Anderson catches six passes for 109 yards and a TD.
• Cornerback Keith McGill had four pass break-ups and a fumble recovery