Utah Utes Suffer Major Setback With Key Absence Ahead of Big 12 Clash Against Colorado

Utah football season is starting to feel like trying to paddle upstream without a paddle. As for the head, Utes Kyle Whittingham had to dig deep in his mental encyclopedia. After their 22-21 loss to BYU last weekend, which was marred with controversy following a fourth-down holding penalty. As look to adjust from Pac-12 to Big 12’s. And just before making it to the Boulder, they are hit by one.

In the Utah Utes case, the paddle is without a steady signal caller. Just as the Utes prepared to clash with Colorado in a pivotal Big 12 showdown, news hit the airwaves that their young QB Isaac Wilson. The younger brother to Broncos NFL quarterback Zach Wilson. Touted as the backup potential savior for their offense may not suit up. For Utah fans, this is the kind of curveball that makes you want to yell at the football gods for piling it on. The USC Athletics sports radio guy on X Scott Garrard became the bearer of the bad news.

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Ron McBride just said on the air with @975hans and me that he believes that Isaac Wilson will not be available for the Utes tomorrow as he is dealing with illness.

Listen now on 97.5/1280AM and online https://t.co/pGB0IIV85W

— Scott Garrard (@ScottyGZone) November 15, 2024

During a segment on Hans & Scotty G, Ron McBride shared his belief that Wilson is battling an illness and likely won’t be available. This leaves the Utes scrambling for solutions at the most critical position. Wilson, a freshman who had the tough task of stepping into the spotlight earlier this season, has already endured his fair share of ups and downs. Benched in favor of Brandon Rose mid-season, Wilson’s shot at redemption appeared to be on the horizon after Rose’s injury against BYU sidelined him for the year. Nothing has gone right for the 4-5 Utah this year. With Pac-12 championships, Rose Bowl victories, and a Super Bowl win on resume. Their 64-year-old, Micheal Jordan to their Utah Jazz, coach Kyle Whittingham has always said he would not coach into his later years, at almost 65, he’s in his later years. Although he still “love[s] coaching this team,” it’s only a matter of time.

Facing a Colorado team led by Deion Sanders, in the driver’s seat to acquire a lot of things this season, not just the conference title. Utah’s offense will need more than just resilience—they’ll need creativity. And without their budding signal-caller, the task becomes that much harder for Whittingham and crew. Issac Wilson started a game as the passer during their only conference win over Oklahoma State. But he has only completed 55% of his passes and thrown eight interceptions to eight touchdown passes. With an offense struggling, which has been the thorn in the Utes’ side. In these difficult times, their coach seems to add new words to the dictionary.

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Utah HC Kyle Whittingham needs to work on his vocabularyRelaying back to his comments on their adjustment from Pac-12 to Big 12 officiating. He was candid — and more humbled than Saturday night when he knocked over a chair on the podium in frustration — in this response. Rather, it made him prompt the usage of a new word in the 64-year-old’s vocabulary. “Yeah, the Pac-12 typically was the most officious,” Whittingham said on Monday, describing the contrast. “I think that’s a word. But it was the most officious conference in the country.”

“(That will) make me sound smart or really stupid,” Whittingham added as he reflected on his word choice.

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Come to find out Whittingham’s usage of the word might not have been correct. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of officious is “volunteering one’s services where they are neither asked nor needed.” But he was close and more importantly, made his point. This year, Big 12 teams have been called for roughly 5.8 penalties per contest. His side is slightly above last season’s average, which was 5.3 penalties called on them per game.

Therefore, as per Whittingham. He feels there’s less focus on the Big 12 to call pass interference and holding penalties in the secondary.