Overview
- Head coach Kyle Whittingham reaffirmed Devon Dampier as the starter if he is physically able, describing the junior’s availability as day-to-day after weeks of lower‑body issues.
- True freshman Byrd Ficklin has emerged as a high‑impact option, rushing for 166 yards on six carries at Baylor with touchdown runs of 67 and 74 yards, and he would start if Dampier cannot play.
- Whittingham framed retaining both quarterbacks as an administrative challenge, citing the need for increased NIL and revenue‑sharing resources to keep the roster intact.
- The NCAA’s updated calendar shifts the main transfer‑portal window to Jan. 2–16 following a December dead period, narrowing the timeframe for Utah’s offseason roster decisions.
- KSL reports Dampier is believed to have low‑seven‑figure money owed in 2026 on a two‑year agreement, and Ficklin credits Whittingham for personally recruiting and quickly offering him a scholarship.