Kyle Whittingham spent Sunday living in the past.
After the Utes’ loss at Washington, the head coach said he “watched the film three times” looking for answers to what went wrong in the second half.
And he still couldn’t tell you what went wrong.
Never mind that now, though.
How can Utah respond as they head to Tucson to face an upstart Wildcats team?
“The same way we did after Oregon and Oregon State,” Whittingham said. “You’ve got to take the same approach, understand that there’s more football to play. You’ve got to rebound, you’ve got to respond. Our team has been good at that this year, at least the first couple times. We’ve got to do the same thing this time around. There’s no difference in our mindset and how we approach it.
“You’ve got to put it behind you — you learn from it, you can’t just ignore it. You watch the tape, figure out your deficiencies and what you have to work on. I’ve said the same thing the last couple of losses. Don’t let the same team beat you twice and avoid the hangover. We lean on the leadership of the team a lot and we lean on the coaches to set the tempo, set the mindset and move forward.”
How to watch
No. 16 Utah at No. 19 Arizona
Kickoff: 12:30 p.m. MT
TV: Pac-12 Networks
Radio: ESPN 700 AM
3 things to know
Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch, front center, looks on in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Colorado on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
1. Remember the Wildcats? Well, these are not the Cats you’ve come to know. Coach Jedd Fisch and his team (7-3, 5-2) are still in contention for a trip to the Pac-12 title game.
“I think they’re doing a great job,” Whittingham said. “He’s got that thing turned. He started from scratch and rebuilt it his way. They’re playing really good football right now. … I just know that they’re winning and playing sound football. They play hard. And they’ve recruited well, that’s always the biggest factor—they’ve done a really nice job in the last three years of infusing talent into the program.”
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, right, throws a pass as Colorado defensive end Taijh Alston pursues in the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
2. At quarterback, that talent is named Noah Fifita.
“Their quarterback has really done well,” Whittingham said. “(Jayden) de Laura was the starter earlier in the year, then got hurt and (Noah) Fifita took over and they really haven’t looked back since then. He’s completing nearly 75% of his balls and has been a spark for them. …
“I think he’s a playmaker. He’s not the biggest guy, (about) 5-foot-11. But he’s extremely savvy in the pocket. He’s doing a really good job running the offense. They’re getting 30-plus points and (about 400 yards of offense) per week. From what I’ve seen on tape, he’s very impressive.”
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Ja'Quinden Jackson before game action between the Utah Utes and the UCLA Bruins at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023.
3. It’s business as usual for the Utes. Running back Ja’Quinden Jackson has been bothered by his ankle all season. But even with their Pac-12 title dreams dashed, Jackson and the Utes aren’t thinking about shutting players down or changing their approach.
“My family — we didn’t raise no weaklings,” Jackson said. “Just trying to be there for the team. … I’m hungry — I’m hungry for the game, hungry for us to win.”
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