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Burbank, Calif. • If all charges against Utah cornerback Dominique Hatfield were dropped earlier this month, why hasn't he been allowed to rejoin the team?

Reporters were finally able to pose this question to coach Kyle Whittingham on Friday. His response: "Because he's got some other issues he's working through, unrelated to those charges."

He didn't elaborate.

Hatfield is still enrolled at the U., but Utah coaches are proceeding as if he won't play this fall. Asked if Hatfield might return as soon as this season, Whittingham said "I guess you'd never say never, so I guess there is a possibility, but we'll just have to see how things unfold."

In Hatfield's stead on the most recent depth chart is junior cornerback Brian Allen — onetime wide receiver and later safety — and Whittingham said he's talked to Allen and others about making the most of a potential opportunity.

Hatfield's absence might also affect how Utah uses L.A. Harbor's Cory Butler, who has yet to officially qualify but is expected to join the Utes for camp next week. Butler can play wideout or corner, "and he may very well play both," Whittingham said, but "with Dominique not being part of the team right now, maybe that tips the scales of where we're going to use him."

Expanding on expansion

Whittingham raised eyebrows on the East Coast swing of the Pac-12 media tour when he told ESPN reporters that he expected a stadium expansion within three to seven years, including an increased capacity.

Friday, he didn't exactly change his tune. But he edited it.

"I guess I opened up a can of worms," he said. "… The only thing I'm saying is in my opinion — in my opinion, my opinion alone — at some point in time, in the future, as supportive as our fans have been, it's going to make sense financially to do that."

Lead coordinator

Maybe the biggest Utah-related surprise Friday was the revelation that Jim Harding is the "lead [offensive] coordinator" Whittingham said.

"If you're at an impasse in the room, somebody's got to make a final decision, and you've got to have that guy who has that authority, and Jim Harding is the guy that makes final decisions," he said. "If there's not a consensus by the staff, or if there's something that has to be determined that isn't black and white, there's a gray area, then he's the guy that makes that final call."

That's likely to entail personnel or game-planning decisions, he said. Co-offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick will be up in the box, calling plays, as expected.

The decision to make Harding the "lead" was made "right out of the gates," Whittingham said.

Snow connection

The Tribune spoke with Snow College's Britt Maughn on Wednesday, head coach of six of Scout's top 100 junior college recruits this year, about some current and potential Utes.

• Maughn clarified the eligibility of Utah's latest commitment, sophomore defensive tackle Handsome Tanielu. He plans to play this year for Snow and will have three years to play two when he suits up for Utah in 2016. Tanielu reminds Maughn of San Diego Charger and Utah alum Tenny Palepoi and Ute-to-be Pasoni Tasini. Palepoi might have been more versatile, and Tasini might be bigger, but Tanielu is a master with his hands and is among the most well-rounded of Maughn's players. Asked if Tanielu's commitment is firm — Tanielu has offers from the likes of Missouri and Penn State — Maughn said: "Handsome's a very thoughtful, thorough kid. He's not a people-pleaser. He is one of those guys who is more willing to say what is right and be vocal about it."

• Linebacker Kurtis Taufa recently surprised some fans with his decommitment from Utah and commitment to Kansas. Kansas? Why? Well, Maughn said Taufa has some personal reasons that he might want to go out of state (he wasn't at liberty to elaborate) but that "I don't really think that has shut the door on Utah, necessarily."

• There may be few teams that wouldn't take offensive tackle Garrett Bolles. Alabama is one. Utah doesn't traditionally win a ton of head-to-head recruiting battles with Alabama, but Maughn said not to count the Utes out. Bolles wants to attend to the school that cares about him most as a person, and his relationship with Utah is reportedly very good. Utah "most definitely" has a chance, Maughn said.

• Maughn said he's excited to see what linebacker Sunia Tauteoli does this season. He's an explosive game-changer, Maughn said, who recalls for him hard-hitting former Ute Nai Fotu. Even if he doesn't crack Utah's starting lineup (a tall order with Jared Norris, Gionni Paul and Jason Whittingham all healthy), Maughn advises fans to keep a close eye on him during special teams play.

• Maughn said Tasini was ruled ineligible last year because his GPA was shy of the required 2.5 — by .02. He had been tight with Utah assistants Kalani Sitake and Ilaisa Tuiaki and flirted with the idea of attending Oregon State instead, but ultimately decided Utah was still the best place for him.

Personnel notes

Wide receiver Alfred Smith followed in the footsteps of former Destrehan High teammate Donovan Isom and transferred. Smith, a freshman who had just joined the Utes for summer conditioning, was expected to play slot receiver. Whittingham said Smith, like Isom, had personal issues. … Isom's transfer led some to speculate that Utah might pursue former Washington commit Troy Williams. Utah may. But Williams is in the same class as current Utes Conner Manning and Brandon Cox, and it's more likely that he'd choose to play for Utah because one of those two chose to leave. At this time, The Tribune has no indication that either will.

Twitter: @matthew_piper