Here are two things that should not go by the wayside as the University of Utah football program slogs through the gray area between the end of spring practice and the start of summer conditioning on May 29.
Colorado transfer Cole Becker kicked a 46-yard field goal in the 22 Forever Game with room to spare, and had a handful of touchbacks.
Between Jadon Redding and Jordan Noyes across the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Utah’s kicking game, especially on kickoffs, was spotty enough that Becker kicking as well as he did in the spring game is a big deal. There were definitely times last season where, with Redding struggling, the Utes opted to go on fourth-and-manageable in plus territory inside Redding’s range. In at least some of those moments, it felt like an indictment on the kicking unit.
At best, Kyle Whittingham and Andy Ludwig trusted their offense. At worst, they didn’t trust their scholarship kickers.
You can bet two things: All eyes are going to be on Becker the first time he trots out there with points at stake, and there will be mock applause at Rice-Eccles Stadium after his first touchback.
“He had a very good spring, but he started out a little bit inconsistent,” Whittingham said recently. “It takes some time to get used to your holder. New holder, new snapper, that type of thing, but by about mid-spring, he really started to hit his stride, and then he was very good in the spring game. We think he’s going to be a very good addition for us. He’s also got a big leg for kickoff, which was problematic for us last year. We covered more kickoffs than any team in the country as far as people that return the ball on us, and so we’ve got to cut that back, and we will this this fall.”
Other things on my mind
• I was surprised this didn’t turn into a bigger deal, but an email went out earlier this week that included, “We will sell general admission single-game and group tickets in the upper bowl for every home game during the 2023-24 season.”
That means the upper-bowl curtain will come down at the Huntsman Center to begin a season for the first time since 2019-20 (there were no fans in Pac-12 arenas in 2020-21 due to the pandemic).
Unless a brand-name opponent visits the Huntsman Center in November or December, and/or the Utes look the part early in the season, that upper bowl is going to look the same as it did when it was opened up late last season.
Empty.
• Branden Carlson worked out for the Milwaukee Bucks last week, his first NBA workout as he goes through the pre-draft process. He will likely get a few more workouts in before the May 31 withdrawal deadline, but here’s what’s important right now.
The roster for the May 13-14 G-League Elite Camp in Chicago leaked on Thursday night, and Carlson’s name is not on it. What is the G-League Elite Camp? Consider it the NBA Draft Combine Lite. There is no expectation Carlson is getting a Combine invite, so that’s both major scouting events on the draft calendar he would not take part in. By no means is that the end of the world, but it should be viewed as an indication that NBA personnel generally believe the Utah center needs more seasoning, which is also not the end of the world.
I think Carlson going through the draft process was the right move at this point in his career. I have been of the belief it’s going to end with him returning to school for a fifth and final season. That remains to be seen, but those two scouting opportunities going on without him may help make up his mind.
• College football’s spring transfer portal window closed on Sunday, and yes, just like every other program, Utah lost some players. However, it’s tough to look at the list of Utes that opted for the portal and not believe that Utah remains in pretty good shape.
Since late November, I count 17 Utah players leaving for the portal. The biggest loss was Clayton Isbell, the projected starter at free safety who bailed days before spring practice started. Morgan Scalley said he was surprised by that move, but essentially shrugged it off, noting the depth in the room and the return of Nate Ritchie.
Beyond Isbell, none of the other 16 departures were all that eye-popping, although I think Andy Ludwig could have gotten something out of outgoing wide receiver Tiquan Gilmore this fall.
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