This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Kenneth Scott has plenty of nicknames — K-Scott, Scotty, Batman — but maybe avoid one in particular: "possession receiver."
The senior wideout bristles at being pigeonholed as a one-trick player, something he felt happened in last season's offense. Scott claims he was asked to do 10-yard comeback routes so frequently, opposing defenses started calling out his plays before he ran them.
"Just because I'm forced to run comeback routes the whole time," he said, "doesn't make me a possession receiver."
In his sixth season — yes, he's a holdover from the Mountain West days — Scott has never lacked for opinions, especially of his offense and of his teammates. This year, both are new.
In his first opportunity to meet with the media this fall, Scott was beaming about the changes.
"I like it a lot, I don't think our receiving corps is really a concern to be honest with you," he said. "You get us the ball, we're going to make plays regardless. I think it's just about opportunities."
He wasted little time breaking down what he thought of the newcomers. Britain Covey is "a little beast even though he's five-foot-nothing." Saiosi Wilson "has to slow everything down." Scott was surprised by Kyle Fulks' speed.
Scott said the receiving group is getting more competitive. That doesn't mean he wouldn't like to see a little more, especially in the run game where he thinks Utah receivers have been — well, selfish.
"We used to be [expletives] as far as in the run game," he said. "I think we're a little too soft last couple years in the run game, and we're trying to switch that up and get sturdy there."
Scott didn't much hide the fact that he was often dissatisfied with his offensive role last fall. While he denied Monday that there was "tension" between him and the coaches, it's clear he's a lot happier with the offensive direction this year.
"We're definitely using the personnel way better," Scott said. "You see Covey doing these little curls and bubble screens and able to get loose. Delshawn [McClellon] is able to use his speed and get down the field. I'm more intermediate, and we've got some deep stuff, too. … It's more personnel-type [offense]."
As for the Utes, they were glad to have "our best contested catch guy," according to receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield. Scott also has the longest relationship with quarterback Travis Wilson, who he foresees will have a better fit in the offense this year.
His absence for the first two weeks of camp were frustrating, most of all because he couldn't explain himself. In a career rife with injuries, he's aware that some observers have gotten used to seeing him on the sideline.
"I bet everybody was like, 'What's wrong with him now? He's always hurt,'" he said. "In the summer I overdo myself getting ready for the season. They used to get on me about that. It was me grinding too hard."
Sina hopes for role on defensive line
If it makes a difference, new transfer Sione Sina doesn't like BYU all that much.
The senior defensive end was on the losing side of Cal's national runner-up rugby team this May, falling to the Cougars in Salt Lake City. Only a few months later, he finds himself back in town, but now with a task that is also fairly daunting: With only one season to play, he must find a role in the position group considered Utah's most sound.
Joining Utah's roster officially on Monday after graduating from Cal, he knows how tough that will be. The altitude alone puts him at a disadvantage. Last Saturday's practice that finished with gassers wore him out.
"I started running a little bit, and I started feeling it in my chest," he said. "I was like, 'Oh snap.' But hopefully it'll go down by Week 2 or Week 3."
Sina is a latecomer to the Utes after finishing his degree. But he did have Sonny Dykes' blessing to leave the Golden Bears after playing in only one game in two years at Cal. He was a junior college player, so he never faced Utah while at Cal.
But obviously, defensive coordinator John Pease said, if the Utes didn't think he could contribute, he wouldn't be in camp.
"He's really smart, and he's a big rangy kid," Pease said. "He's learning the system well. He graduated from Cal-Berkeley, so he's smarter than I am."
For now, Sina offers depth to a group that already includes returners Hunter Dimick, Jason Fanaika and Pita Taumoepenu, as well as UCLA transfer Kylie Fitts. Pease said Sina could find his way into pass-rushing packages, including set-ups where Utah rushes with four ends.
At the very least, Sina is hopeful that he'll find a role of some kind.
"Whatever I can," he said. "They've been rotating me with twos, and I thought I was getting it down, then they threw some new plays in that I've never heard about. … But it's been pretty good, I've been able to pick it up."
Don't read into depth chart
For the fans keeping an eye for which names are moving up and down the depth chart, prepare to be rocked.
Kyle Whittingham was sorely in need of a copy as he answered questions after Monday morning's practice.
"I have no idea," he said. "I haven't looked at the depth chart to tell you the truth."
Depth chart moves in fall camp don't have finality, so coaches don't pay as much attention in the day-to-day. Even Scott, Utah's top leading returner, declined to call himself "a starter."
But there was certainly some interesting changes at the very least on Monday, as freshman Tyrone Smith slid up to replace the injured Tim Patrick, who didn't practice again. Raelon Singleton, who starred in the spring, was dropped from the two deep as he experienced another unspecified setback during Monday's practice. Saiosi Wilson, whom coaches hadn't expected to play a huge role, is now listed as a backup to Scott. Both slot receiver (Bubba Poole and Covey) and tight end (Siale Fakailoatonga and Evan Moeai) are now considered dead heats.
But receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield had a message: don't read too much into it. With a scrimmage on Tuesday, the coaching staff is still looking at which players will be able to contribute in fall, and some of them may not appear on the two-deep at all right now. Whittingham said the team is looking for six or seven capable receivers "in no particular order."
"Don't read a whole lot into the depth chart right now, we're just looking into who is game ready," he said. "We hope to know who we can look to feel who we can put in the game without hesitation [after the scrimmage]."
Briefly
The Pac-12 Network begins filming for the "The Drive" this week, which Whittingham predicted wouldn't be too invasive for the remainder of camp. "The Drive" will document Utah and Oregon State throughout the entire season, and the first episode airs on Sept. 23. … The Utes scrimmage on Tuesday will be closed to the media and public. Said Whittingham: "Just have some things we're going to work on that we don't want anybody to be around."
Twitter: @kylegoon