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Gionni Paul walked off the field singing.
In case you were wondering how he feels about his participation ratcheting up Thursday — to the extent that he was available again for interviews — there you have it.
"I'm not quite there yet, but I'm getting there," said Paul, who recorded 61 tackles and four interceptions before re-aggravating a foot injury that cost him the first two and last three games of last season. His top priority is avoiding injury ahead of the Sept. 3 opener against Michigan.
New linebackers coach Justin Ena said that behind the three seniors — Paul, Jared Norris and Jason Whittingham — there isn't much in the way of proven commodities, but he likes what he's seeing from the group so far this spring.
Even before he took the job, Ena had heard of sophomore Sunia Tauteoli from his exploits in 2013 at Snow College, and the early returns suggest Tauteoli is exactly the brand of fearless linebacker that Ena hopes will come to characterize his group.
The stock of sophomore Uaea Masina has also risen this spring, Ena said: He's fast, big and strong. Now Ena just wants to see Masina display some of the aggressiveness that he sees from the likes of Norris and Paul, and to assert himself more as a leader.
And Ramona, Calif., sophomore Christian Drews has earned a share of the backup linebacker reps, Ena said, even though he's still not on scholarship and is not as naturally athletic as some of his teammates.
"He's a very assignment-sound player," Ena said. "He does a good job at everything he does."
(There are currently few reps remaining for freshman returned missionary Jake Jackson as Ena tries to get Tauteoli, Masina and Drews up to speed.)
Ena said Norris and Paul galvanize the rest of the group with their enthusiasm for physical play ... and for talking a little trash, now and again.
While "G-Bo" Paul was telling The Tribune, "I feel like this is going to be our year, and I think with everybody healthy, we can go a long way," Norris jogged by and interrupted "G-Bo sucks!"
It seems Ena's senior leaders have a bit of a friendly rivalry going on.
"They totally do, and you want to feed off of them a little bit, too," Ena said. "You might say, 'Hey, Jared, hell of a job!' and you'll see G-Bo looking across at you like, 'Alright!' He'll pick up his game because of it. It's awesome. And then you get the younger guys emulating the way they play."
Cox lost for spring • Sophomore quarterback Brandon Cox will undergo surgery Friday after re-fracturing a foot that cost him most of his senior season at Pasadena High, Kyle Whittingham said Thursday. He will be out for spring, and Whittingham said he hopes that Cox can return for two-a-days in August.
Cox had been battling with fellow sophomore Conner Manning for reps behind senior Travis Wilson and redshirt freshman Chase Hansen, who again received the lion's share of No. 2 reps Thursday.
Neither Wilson nor Hansen were particularly effective throwing the ball during the no-tackle practice, with Wilson picked off on a short pass attempt across the middle by Norris.
Cox's loss is the second major injury of spring ball, after redshirt freshman running back Troy McCormick tore his ACL during practice last week.
Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick spoke about McCormick on Thursday, saying that McCormick's abilities are irreplaceable and that his loss changes Utah's plan going forward.
"We don't have another guy like Troy," Roderick said. "Bubba [Poole is] the next closest thing. Bubba's a really good player, and he does some things Troy couldn't do. But Troy was a unique guy that honestly played running back and receiver equally well, and he was our fastest guy."
A little good news: Redshirt freshman wideout Raelon Singleton, hailed as a standout on three successive days in the first week of spring ball, was practicing without limitations Thursday after sitting out with an apparent shoulder injury. Singleton underwent shoulder surgery last year, ending his season.
A hold different ballgame • Hansen is still adjusting to the hectic life of a Division I quarterback, he said Thursday, but no curveball has made him sweat quite like when Kyle Whittingham called him to join the field goal unit as backup holder.
"That was the most stressful part of the day," Hansen said, eyes wide. "I've never been so nervous. Sitting in the pocket is fine, but holding that ball is a little bit tricky."
The freshman takes over the role in Cox's absence. In front of a pack of reporters he pantomimed the action — which he never performed as a prep star at Lone Peak — and imitated the wobble of the ball when he tried to plant it for Utah's kickers to boot away.
"It's such a simple thing," he said. No. 1 holder "Tom [Hackett] makes it seem pretty easy."
Hansen said Andy Phillips and Hackett both have claimed he's already better than Cox in his holding duties. Roderick said he didn't have any direct involvement in coaching the kicking unit, but that Hansen, to his knowledge, has embraced his new role.
"He seems like a guy who would do anything for the team," he said.
— Matthew Piper and Kyle Goon
Twitter: @matthew_piper
Twitter: @kylegoon