Kyle Whittingham can’t keep injuries a secret anymore.
But he’s not sharing everything.
Last week, the Big 12 announced that it will require all conference programs to provide injury reports before games this season.
Whittingham said he would abide by the new rules. But in response, the coach said the Utes will no longer provide their usual depth charts throughout the year.
“Won’t release one,” the Utes’ head coach said on Monday. “With the new health rule put out, that’s really all we’ll release each week as who’s available, and who’s not.”
Whittingham will have to give multiple injury updates ahead of conference games. Each Big 12 program will be required to provide a report daily three days before a conference contest and another 90 minutes before kickoff, listing players as available, probable, questionable, doubtful or out depending on their status.
The longtime Utes coach has previously only given updates when a player’s injury has been deemed to be season-ending. That has caused some frustrations even among Utes fans in recent years, particularly as Whittingham declined to give straightforward updates regarding former quarterback Cam Rising.
That’s all coming to an end now. But the Utah head coach does have one change he would make about how the new injury report rule is enforced.
“Yeah, we’ll adhere to it,” Whittingham said. “It’s not a problem at all. Kind of wish the Power Four was all on the same page and each conference didn’t have their own spin on it. I don’t know why we can’t get together and have one uniform injury report, or whatever you want to call it.
“But sure, we’ll adhere to the rule. The way I understand it, the rule is not in place for non-conference games, so it’s only when you’re facing a conference opponent. So we’ll fill the paper out, or whatever the procedure is, and go from there.”