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Even as fall camp begins without Dominique Hatfield, whose chances to return to the field this season appear to be dwindling, Sharrieff Shah isn't ready to drop hope of getting his star corner back.
But Shah, who grew up in the same part of California and helped recruit Hatfield, is preparing nonetheless.
"We had a kid who understood how to make plays and some intangible things you can't coach," he said. "That's a big loss. But a good coach always says somebody has to pick it up and keep it moving.
Hatfield saw himself booted from the team thanks to offseason legal issues: He was arrested and charged with robbery and theft — charges which were later dropped — and most recently charged with misdemeanor assault. Head coach Kyle Whittingham has said the team is proceeding as if he will not return.
He's a hard on-field performer to replace. His stats (32 tackles, 9 passes defended, and one game-sealing pick-six) only give a shadow of his role. He was often called upon to cover an opponent's best receiver, from Michigan's Devin Funchess to Arizona State's Jaelen Strong. While standing at only 5-foot-10, coaches often felt his confidence made up for height gaps.
"Playmaking ability is just one of the facets he brought," said an effusive Shah. "His energy, his passion, his desire. Dominique was a person who hated to lose, and that was kind of infectious."
The Utes have already taken strides to figure out life after Hatfield. Senior Brian Allen assumes a starting role, for now, opposite junior Reggie Porter. Shah said Allen has picked up right where he left off in spring as a playmaker and competent cover man, despite only joining the position group last year.
The defense also has the benefit of young talent: Sophomore Travonne Hobbs has moved to the outside, where he'll compete for a role against Casey Hughes and Tavaris Williams among others. The Utes may also flip JC transfer Cory Butler to defense if they feel light at the position, and South Carolina transfer Ahmad Christian is working to get healthy.
Several Utes said they still keep in touch with Hatfield. Shah indicated he would continue to mentor him even if he's unable to return to Utah. Porter and Allen said they felt for him, and have continued to solicit advice and send him support.
"Domo's still family," Isaac Asiata said. "Kids make mistakes, and we have remember some of us are still kids learning and growing up. We still love him. He's still family to us, he's still family to me, and we love him wherever he goes."
Young receivers stand out
Between graduations in the receiving corps and a handful of wideouts still getting healthy, the spring may have tried fans' patience on finding new pass-catching playmakers. But initial indications are that the patience might just pay off.
In the 20-minute media observation session, newcomers Cory Butler, Britain Covey and George Saiosi Wilson made several catches that seem to promise potential. Butler, a potential two-way guy, was everywhere. Covey seemed to sneak between defenders as a slot receiver. Wilson's speed helped him get down the field. The Utes also had Tim Patrick back on the field, going full-bore.
"Today so far, from what I can tell, it was a good day for a lot of the guys," receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield said. "Any time you lose Kaelin Clay, Dres Anderson, there's going to be questions. I think we've got a tremendous amount of talent right now."
There's still some tooling to do with reps: Stubblefield said he isn't sure yet which receivers are going to get in-game opportunities this year.
But Utah is in the hunt for more speedy playmakers alongside the taller, more possession-oriented Patrick and Kenneth Scott. Covey, who came to the Utes from local power Timpview, said he sees a wide-open field.
"I think in college especially, you're gonna use the talent you have," Covey said. "You've got Cory's speed, and you gotta get that on the field somehow. You've got me and my quickness, you gotta get that on the field somehow. You've got a lot of guys and I think somehow you've got to figure out how to use our talent."
Throwback Thursday for uniforms
Before they moved forward with camp, the Utes went back in time by unveiling new uniforms inspired by the past.
The "Neo Classic" threads, which the team will wear Oct. 10 against Cal, feature an interlocking U helmet logo, stripes on the legs and arms, and a numerical font from the 1970s. It inspired praise on social media, and anticipation for the upcoming season.
Equipment director Kelly Sharitt said he had first looked into creating throwback uniforms a year and a half ago. Under Armour had taken over the project for the last year, and did most of the research and development to incorporate old-school elements into the design.
The only "innovation" Sharitt would take credit for is the helmet logo, which the U. staffers identified as the logo for some of the great teams of the 1960s. Sharitt said the equipment staff simply put a black border around it, and stuck it on a white helmet.
The reviews from the players themselves were raves. Kyle Whittingham was more reserved.
"I don't really care about uniforms," he said. "But they looked OK to me."
Twitter: @kylegoon