(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Kyle Whittingham as Utah faces Oregon in the Pac-12 football championship game in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday Dec. 6, 2019. Whittingham, and all of his college football peers, are elated that the NCAA has finally lifted the long "dead period" recruiting period that was put into place during the pandemic. For the first time in over a year, Whittingham and other Ute coaches will be able to meet and scout prospective recruits in person.