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Pasadena, Calif.

Two thoughts were lost on Kyle Whittingham after Utah beat UCLA here on Saturday, 52-45. One was too far in the distance for the head coach to allow into his brain: Had he thought about the Utes making a return trip to the Rose Bowl in the sun-splashed Arroyo Seco on Jan. 2, for the Rose Bowl game? "No," he said. "Too much football left."

And the second, at this particular moment, was unimaginable: Where would the Utes be without Joe Williams? "Can't say enough about that young man," he said. "He's a blessing. He seems to be … rejuvenated."

Let's go with that second answer first.

Williams is remarkable.

On Saturday, he broke the Utes' single-game rushing record, gaining a ridiculous 332 yards on 29 carries. "We wanted to keep him under 30," Whittingham said. The real answer to that second question is: The Utes would be in second place, instead of tied for first, in the Pac-12's South Division, because they would have lost to UCLA.

But Williams saved them in a crazy offensive game, gave them that pile of yards and a pile of touchdowns, too: four in total, including a 43-yarder, a 64-yarder, and a 55-yarder. Add in his 3-yarder, and that's 165 yards on touchdown runs alone. Did we already use that word crazy?

Speaking of insane, the well-known backstory makes it more that way. A month-and-a-half ago, the senior Williams quit football, calling a game he had played for most of his life no fun anymore. Both his body and his mind ached. He was looking forward to a different future, a new future beyond football. There was life to live, a bright one at that, beyond the hitting, the fumbling, the hurting, the fame of scoring touchdowns, the ignominy of fumbling the ball. A life beyond the dull pain. He used a powerful term to describe his standing with his sport. He called it "overwhelming."

And then, his teammates called and asked him — begged him — to come back. He accepted the invitation.

As bad as Utah has been hammered with injuries this season, as many problems as that caused, it's ironic, then, that one of the words Whittingham used — blessing — came as a result of those injuries. Injuries to running backs Armand Shyne, Zack Moss and Troy McCormick made the Utes desperate enough to turn back to Williams.

The image of Whittingham screaming at Williams after a fumble earlier this season against BYU, before he retired, and then the coach's benching him, has now skidded off the sky, off the great beyond, and bounced into oblivion.

Last week, in his first game back against Oregon State, Williams went for 179 yards. Now, in these two starts, Williams has gained a total of 511 yards. He is the man of the hour for the Utes, and they know it, even if he himself is too humble to shout it out.

"It's fun to watch Joe running down the field like that," quarterback Troy Williams said.

"His whole mindset is different," said offensive lineman Isaac Asiata. "… He's running with purpose. That's a great running back."

Williams gave credit to the big'uns up front, saying: "I got to thank the O-line. They made my job easier. Those five paved the way."

So, they did. But Williams exploded through the holes and sprinted to the goal line, in a way no other back has exploded and sprinted this season. The former high was BYU's Jamaal Williams, who gained 286 yards against Toledo.

"We've had a bunch of great running backs here," Whittingham said. None has done what Williams did to the Bruins. It was an historic showing in an historic building, which brings us back to the first question: Can the Utes return?

Whittingham refused to answer that.

Williams, though, took the bait, sort of: "I hope we keep on stacking these wins. … I'd love to play on this field again."

What a trip, a head trip, that would be for the Utes and their fans, playing in Granddaddy's grand old game. It's dangerous, pondering that possibility, dreaming that dream in late October. Too many games remain, including this week's matchup against undefeated Washington.

But if the Utes, somehow, some way, find a way to return, they could only hope for a game like Saturday's, which was an offensive show. In total, the teams gained 1,049 yards.

"Not our typical way of winning a football game," Whittingham said. "We don't find ourselves in many shootouts. It was great to see our offense respond the way they did."

Great to see Williams respond.

His future is bright and the Utes' future is bright, as well, due in large part to the man who six weeks ago thought he'd had enough.

He was wrong, and the Utes are more than happy he was.

GORDON MONSON hosts "The Big Show" with Spence Checketts weekdays from 3-7 p.m. on the Zone Sports Network, 97.5 FM and 1280 AM The Zone. Twitter: @GordonMonson. —

Pac-12 rushing bests in 2016

332 yards • Joe Williams, Utah vs. UCLA, Saturday

221 • Ryan Nall, Oregon State vs. California, Oct. 8

219 • Philli Lindsay, Colorado vs. Arizona State, Oct. 15

207 • Royce Freeman, Oregon vs. Virginia, Sept. 10

Utah single-game 200-yard rushing bests

332 • Joe Williams vs UCLA, Saturday

254 • Mike Anderson vs. Fresno State, 1999

248 • Eddie Johnson vs. UTEP, 1984

236 • Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala vs. UTEP, 1996

232 • Del Rodgers vs. Wyoming, 1981

229 • Marty Johnson vs. Indiana, 2002

226 • Dameon Hunter vs. Air Force, 2001

224 • Eddie Johnson vs. Colorado State, 1984

215 • Carl Monroe vs. UTEP, 1982

229 • Devontae Booker vs. Oregon State, 2014

222 • Devontae Booker vs California, 2015

207 • Carl Monroe vs. Hawaii, 1982

205 • John White vs. Oregon State, 2011

204 • Mike Anderson vs. New Mexico, 1999