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Regarded as an instant-impact player at what may be Utah's greatest position of need, Gavilan JC wideout Deniko Carter "looks like he's not going to make it," Kyle Whittingham said Friday.
A 6-foot-2 junior from Baltimore, Carter was said by Gavilan coach Spencer Gilford to be capable of a "mid- to upper-4.3" 40-yard dash, and he caught 50 passes for 796 yards and six touchdowns in nine games last year.
It had long been in doubt whether Carter would be able to complete the necessary coursework to enroll this fall.
With Dres Anderson and Kaelin Clay now plying their trade in the NFL, the burden is on seniors Kenneth Scott, Tim Patrick and a host of unproven receivers to take the pressure off senior running back Devontae Booker.
Louisiana's Alfred Smith, California's George Wilson and Timpview's Britain Covey will bolster the ranks as freshmen, and two-way Blinn College burner Kyle Fulks will start off at receiver during fall camp.
Los Angeles Harbor defensive back Cory Butler also has the ability to play wideout if coaches determine the need there is greater.
Injury update • Things seemed to be looking up for sophomore Moana Ofahengaue during spring ball, when doctors finally cleared him to participate after sustaining head trauma in a February 2014 motor scooter accident and being suspended when he later plead guilty to impaired driving during the crash.
But then the former Westlake defensive end was re-evaluated and held out for the remainder of spring, and Whittingham said Friday that it was later determined "it's not in his best interest to continue playing."
Asked if Ofahengaue will medically retire, Whittingham said, "Right now, that's the track he's on."
There have been no significant injuries during summer conditioning, Whittingham said, adding that the program will go radio silent on injuries from now until the end of the 2015 season.
"Now just sit there!" • After stumbling upon an excerpt from Steve Young's "life story," told with the help of author Jeff Benedict, The Tribune felt obligated to ask Whittingham about one particular passage.
As Young tells it, he was a scout team quarterback during Whittingham's junior season and was shredding the first team defense while emulating UNLV's wishbone offense.
Whittingham didn't much like that (read Young's words for yourself). So he drilled him out of bounds.
Asked if he could recall punishing Young, Whittingham said he couldn't, but allowed, "He's got a better memory than me."
The two often cross paths, and Whittingham considers Young a friend. He remembers, as Young writes, that offensive coordinator Doug Scovil didn't think much of Young as a quarterback. Young could've also made an excellent free safety or running back, Whittingham said.
"But I could still whoop his butt in tennis."
They haven't played, he said, but it's a running joke between them that "he's been ducking me for years."
Three Whittinghams • Over the course of a decade, Kyle, Cary and Fred Jr. all played for BYU. This fall, all three will have sons suiting up for Utah.
Kyle's son Alex and Cary's son Jason are both linebackers, of course, like their dads. But new to the team will be freshman Sam Whittingham, a walk-on running back from California.
Sam, whose father was once BYU's leading rusher and is now Utah's director of player personnel, was the leading tackler for Folsom High, California's state champions, but given Utah's thin ranks at running back and his size (5'10, 200 pounds), he'll start out on offense.
Whitt on Wright • Whittingham watched as much of the Runnin' Utes as he was able to during this season's Sweet Sixteen run, having forged a relationship of mutual respect with Larry Krystkowiak during Krystkowiak's research into culture-building and their annual trips to Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank's farm for the Preakness.
So, naturally, he approves of Toronto's decision to select Delon Wright with the 20th pick in the NBA draft Thursday.
"I'm excited for him," Whittingham said. "I think he's going to be an outstanding NBA player.
Asked which NBA player he'd most like to see in pads, Whittingham went with the obvious choice: "I think LeBron could probably play about five positions for you. Wide receiver, defensive end, tight end ... that guy is unbelievable."
— Matthew Piper
Twitter: @matthew_piper