Only a couple of days away now from Utah and Pittsburgh in the regular season opener at Rice Eccles Stadium. It’s all about the game and match up’s now. We have a ton of Ute audio and interviews up in the audio vault at espn700sports.com-Whittingham, Jordan Wynn, Matt Asiata and Christian Cox.

How about some insight on Pittsburgh. The biggest questions on the offensive side of the football for the Panthers is the new QB Tino Sunseri and 3 members of his offensive line. Here’s a good read from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on those issues from Monday. Sunseri will be making his first career start at Rice Eccles on Thursday night. If he has any success much of the credit will go to his Offensive Coordinator, Frank Cignetti.

Here’s a quick scouting report on the Panthers, their roster and schedule.

I hate to have to do this but sometimes you just have to do what right and tell it like it is. What am I talking about you ask? Well I’d like to knock down some falsehoods that have been spread about a couple of members of the current Utah Offensive Squad.

With 7 days remaining until the opener against Pitt next Thursday I wish I was talking strictly about the game, but I want to set the  record straight on a couple of Utah newcomers that have been “dissed” by a local media member, who should know better. First up is JC transfer and starting Left Tackle John Cullen. Contrary to what some have said (not me) Cullen has had a good fall camp for the Utes. He steps into some big shoes left by Denver Bronco Zane Beadles, but with that said Cullen (according to multiple coaches I spoke too) has done everything that has been asked of him by the Coaching Staff. Is he a finished product yet? No, not yet. But he is the best guy for the job and the Coaching Staff expects big things this season and next from Cullen. The Coaches hope that Cullen can add another 15 lbs to his extremely athletic frame as the season goes along.

The 2nd Player is Walk-On Wide Receiver Griff McNabb. McNabb, who was a break out star in the Spring, has continued where he left off in the Spring by catching everything thrown his way and making a difference on Special Teams in Punt Returns. McNabb won’t likely crack the Top 3 receivers, but expect him to be among the Top 5 or 6 and play a role in the Utah Passing Game this season.

Now a quick thought or two on the Pitt Panthers…The Utes will face the best combination of Defensive Ends in the Country in the opener, with Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard.  If you’d like a little info on that Pitt Defensive Line, here’s  good read for you…

Ute Freshman Kenneth Scott had surgery on his ankle. The rehab will likely last most of the fall. Scott will likely be ready for Spring Football.

Just a quick reminder for you…The Kyle Whittingham Coaches Show makes its 2010 debut next Tuesday at 7pm at Trolley Square. Come on out have some dinner and drinks and talk some Utah Football with Coach!

Normally in this space you’ve seen me recently writing about the University of Utah and Fall Football Camp, not today.  Today I will leave what was an uneventful day at Utah football practice alone. There will be plenty more time to talk about Kyle Whittingham and the Utes. Today I want to give you a few thoughts on a guy that helped make covering the Utes and the rest of Sports in the state of Utah a lucrative business and living for many of us.

My friend and colleague, Chris Tunis, died Monday afternoon following a valiant and long battle with Cancer. Tuner, as most of us called him, never let the horrible disease take his kindness or spirit from him. Just a couple of weeks ago I saw him and his wife Julie at the SLC Jewish Community Center. It was apparent that the Cancer had ravaged his body, but not his mind or spirit. As always, he greeted me with a smile and asked how I was. It was never about work or himself, always about others. Chris couldn’t wait to tell me how anxious he was to get back to calling the University of Utah women’s games on ESPN 700 this season. You see, Tuner was the rarest of breeds in the modern media game, he didn’t care about fame or fortune. Nope, for Chris it was about the love of radio and being around the games, coaches and kids.

I met Chris Tunis 9 years ago when I moved to Salt Lake City. I worked at KSL Radio at the time, one of the stops along Tuner’s career path. He reached out to me and introduced himself early on and in typical Tuner fashion offered his assistance in helping me in my transition to the market. Over the years we became colleagues and friends. I can honestly tell you that as good and honest a media guy as he was, he was a better person. In my 9 years here in Utah, never a negative word have I ever heard uttered about Chris Tunis. I can’t tell you how rare that is today in our business or anyone’s.

54 years is simply too short a time for someone, who was so kind and had so much to give. But I’m thankful (like everyone who knew him) to have had a portion of those 54 years in my life. Thank you for your friendship and professionalism Tuner. I’m a better person for having known and worked with you.

Camp Kyle is officially done now. It ended with this mornings 2 hour scrimmage at Rice Eccles Stadium. The Utes will now move into a more set and settled “game week” mode leading up to the September 2nd opener with #15 Pitt. Head Coach Kyle Whittingham was pleased with the scrimmage, but still a number of things to clean up on the offensive and defensive sides before the Pitt game. He called it a “positive end” to fall camp. Whittingham said the offense is on track to where it needs to be right now. Says Dexter Ransom and Mo Lee are getting up to speed each day and thinks they could still crack the 8 man WR rotation that he wants for the opener and regular season.

This morning I got my first look at Star Lotulelei, the JC Transfer DT. He’s is enormous and Kyle Whittingham says he’s lost more than 30 lbs in the last couple of months. Lotulelei was on the stationary bike most of practice today and still has a few things to do to before he can get on the field.

Special teams locked in right now. Joe Phillips was perfect (4-4) FG’s with a long of 48 yds. Nick Marsh will handle kickoffs and missed his only FG attempt. Sean Sellwood has had a strong camp punting the ball too. In the return game, Whittingham says he’s got 3 he’s looking at with kickoffs-Smithson, Dunn, Brooks and on punts it’s just 2 guys right now: Smithson and Griff McNabb (who might have the best hands on the team).

Players that Impressed this morning-

1. Terrance Cain-Has been so very good through the entire fall camp. Again today was on the money. (14-18) 227 yds and 2 TD’s.

2. Devonte Christopher-Is beginning to look like the play maker we’ve expected him to be. He made a 45 yd catch in traffic today, taking the ball away from the defender. He would be #4 on my WR depth chart right now, behind Brooks, Matthews and Smithson.

3. Chad Mannis-The converted QB/Linebacker, continues to have a solid fall camp. Big Interception of Jordan Wynn in the end zone.

If you’d like to listen to post scrimmage interviews they are up in the audio vault at espn700sports.com Today’s interviews include: Lamar Chapman, Eddie Wide, Kyle Whittingham and Kalani Sitake.

It’s two weeks till the opener with Pittsburgh and things continue to progress at Camp Kyle. Just one practice this today for the Utes. Overcast skies and breezy conditions made it feel almost fall-like this morning. Kyle Whittingham called this morning practices a “clean” one, with progress being made toward Pittsburgh.

I got my first look at the newest Ute, Wide Receiver Dexter Ransom. Ransom is the biggest WR on the roster right now at 6-4 220 pounds. Ransom’s story is very similar to that of former Ute Gabe Long. He was committed to Arizona, but due to grade complications he wasn’t able to get in with the Wildcats in enough time, so when the scholarship wasn’t there he contacted Morgan Scalley, who had recruited Ransom at Blinn Community College. Ransom played one season with Terrance Cain at Blinn CC. He told me he runs at (4.5) 40 yard and expects to be up to speed with the Utah Offense in just a few days.

Injury Issues for the Utes:

WR Kenneth Scott injured his right ankle/foot in practice this morning and was on crutches by the end of practice. He was joined on crutches by Damien Payne and JJ Williams.

Tomorrow with be Utah’s final “Double Day” practice session. The Utes will hold their final scrimmage of the preseason on Saturday at Rice Eccles  Stadium.

Audio from this morning’s practice is available in the audio vault at espn700sports.com. Today we have Kyle Whittingham, Sealver Siliga and Dexter Ransom.

A relatively quiet day on a Monday at Camp Kyle. The morning practice was held at the Stadium. After some recent struggles the Utah Defense appears to be on its’ way back. This morning saw Freshman Safety Brian Blechen come up with a couple of big INTS and some pass break ups. The Moor Park, Ca native is one of the real pleasant surprises in Camp so far, especially considering he was recruited as a QB initially. While Blechen was the good news in the secondary this morning, fellow Freshman Damien Payne hurt his lower leg/right foot in the morning practice and is expected to miss a couple of weeks of action.

On the offensive side of the football, it was a good Monday for a couple of veterans of the Utah Offense. For the first time in Camp this fall, I saw the big play ability of Devonte Christopher, who caught a long TD pass. Christopher is still in the top 6 WR’s right now according to Coach Whittingham. Matt Asiata also made his first big appearance of Fall Camp, with some impressive runs and runs after catches this morning. It’s the first time this fall that I’ve seen the explosiveness out of Asiata that we saw before the injury last year.

Tuesday will see the Utes in their 2nd scrimmage of the Fall. Expect the starters to see more reps and time on Tuesday morning according to Kyle Whittingham.

Audio from today can be heard in the audio vault at espn700sports.com. Today we have Kyle Whittingham, Griff McNabb and Brian Blechen

Camp Kyle Day 9 took place on the baseball fields this morning. Coach Whittingham called today’s practice a good one. It was a morning that saw big plays by  both the offense and defense.

Jordan Wynn and the 1st team offense looked sharp in 11 on 11 drills. Eddie Wide and Matt Asiata shared reps with the 1st team offense. The Top 3 Wide Receivers continue to be Brooks, Matthews and Smithson. Whittingham had the officials calling things tight in the secondary this morning and as a result there were a ton of flags on the field against the secondary. Coach Whitt said that he had seen too much grabbing and clutching by the Utah Secondary over the last few days of practice.

Players that caught my eye this morning

1. Jordan Wynn-He’s the #1 QB on the depth chart, but I thought he was exceptionally sharp this morning in both 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills.

2. Brad Clifford-The Tight End, who is battling Kendrick Moeai for the #1 spot, made a long TD grab and out ran the safeties to the end zone. Clifford, who had 2 TD catches in the scrimmage Thursday, continues to play well in camp.

3. Matt Asiata-For the first time in this Fall Camp, Asiata has jumped out and stood out running the ball on the edge. Asiata’s strength and toughness is rarely in question, but today he showed good burst on the outside.

4. Luke Matthews-Got behind the defense on multiple occasions and made some good grabs in traffic today.

5. Boo Andersen-With JJ Williams out with a foot injury. The Sophomore from Alta HS seems to be making the most of his chances. Made a couple of big plays against the run and got after the QB’s well too.

Whittingham lightened things up at the end of practices today. Allowing the linemen and returners to try to catch balls launched out of the JUGGS Machine from roughly 90-100 yards away. After each lineman and return man missed the ball, Brandon Burton caught the final attempt and kept the team from running “gassers”, which Whittingham said they were going to run anyway.

Injury Issues

1. JJ Williams-Foot injury. Continues to wear a protective boot. Whittingham hopes to have him back sometime next week.

2. John Cullen-Knee soreness. Practiced in the Pit today. He’s day to day.

3. Latu Heimuli-Has a sore foot.

Nothing new to report on the academic status of Star Lotulelei, the JC Defensive Tackle from Snow College. Whittingham hopes to have some news soon.

You can listen to Coach Kyle Whittingham’s post practice comments in our audio vault at espn700sports.com

First full scrimmage of Camp today for the Utes!!! It was a day dominated by the Offense. Both Quarterbacks performed well today. Jordan Wynn finished (14-20) 160 yds, 2 TD, while Terrance Cain went (14-16) 184 yds, 2 TD’s. And 3rd Stringer Griff Robles (3-5) 31 yds, 1 TD. Both Wynn and Cain were outstanding in the 2 minute offense. Wynn going (4-5) and a touchdown to Griff McNabb and Cain going (5-5) and a touchdown to Reggie Dunn.

Guys that didn’t see action today included Sealver Siliga and Jeremy Brooks. Whittingham held them out just because he knew what he had in them. Matt Asiata was in uniform but didn’t carry the ball in the scrimmage.

Only a couple of injuries of note. Offensive Lineman Tavita Stevens went down in a red zone drill with a right leg injury. After the scrimmage, Kyle Whittingham said he didn’t believe is was a serious injury and that Stevens should be just fine. Also, linebacker JJ Williams is dealing with a slight foot injury, but should be just fine too.

Players that stood out in the Scrimmage:

1. Wide Out Reggie Dunn-6 catches 83 yards and a touchdown. His speed and hands are outstanding. He is also in the running to be on kick and punt returns.

2. Wide Out Griff McNabb-5 catches 75 yards and a touchdown. The Spring sensation continues to impress. Jordan Wynn looked to him on five straight plays in the 2 minute offense.

3. Tauni Vakapuna-Fui’s little brother had a 92 yard TD run, with a total of 123 yards on 7 carries. Whittingham loves the kid and thinks he would be the 4th running back right now.

4. TE Brad Clifford-2 TD catches and the best tight end in today’s scrimmage.

5. Damien Payne-The Freshman came up with one of the few defensive highlights of the morning, with an interception of Griff Robles.

Random Notes:

1. Shakerin to0k most of the 1st team reps at running back today. He looked very quick and explosive in space. Eddie Wide saw early action then spent most of the rest of the scrimmage watching.

2. Kicker Joe Phillips continues to be rock solid. His day included a 49 yard field goal in live action.

3. Talking to Defensive Coordinator Kalani Sitake after the scrimmage, he told me that he’s a big fan of the offense and isn’t disappointed in his defenses’ effort. He’d just like to see a few more big plays.

Audio from today’s scrimmage is available in our audio vault at espn700sports.com. Players include Luke Matthews, Brad Clifford, Zane Taylor and Kyle Whittingham.

The Boys put the pads on this morning on Day 5.  Though to be very honest, there wasn’t too much different from the first 4 days of camp, just a little bit more hitting. Kyle Whittingham said it was a better day for the offense today. The Defense dominated in 7 on 7 drills, while the Offense bounced back to be better in the last drill of the day 11 on 11. You can listen to Coach Whitt’s post practice thoughts in our audio vault at espn700sports.com

Who Impressed today:

1. Jeremy Brooks-Continues to show why he’s the best WR on the team. Told me he likes the fact he’s a leader on offense this year.

2. Conroy Black-After Brandon Burton, he’s the best corner on this team. Great Combination of size and speed. Made a few good break up’s today.

3. Brad Clifford-On a day full of drops by tight ends and WR’s, he made some nice catches in Red Zone offense.

4. Shawn Asiata-Matt’s little/BIG brother looks to be a beast in short yardage situations.

5. JJ Williams-Leader of the linebacking corps. Made several key plays in 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 today.

Thoughts on Practice

1. The defense continues to be stout against the run. The Front 4 led by Sealver Siliga have made life tough on the offensive line.

2. One of the plays that worked today was the “shovel/Utah pass”. A fan favorite was used on multiple occasions this morning and went for big gains each time is was used.

3. Eddie Wide continues to impress running and catching the football. His ability in the open field and to turn the corner is what separates him from Matt Asiata.

4. Through 5 days injuries have not been a factor for the Utes. Lamar Chapman and Sean Fitzgerald spent another day in  the “Pit”, though the injuries haven’t been serious.

5. WR Mo Lee was at practice, but not in pads. He was in shorts and a helmet. He went through basic passing drills, but didn’t participate in hitting drills.

Tomorrow will be the first of “Double Day” practices for the Utes. Thursday will see the first scrimmage of the preseason.

Interviews from today’s practice are available in the audio vault on our website at espn700sports.com

Final day without pads today for the Utes. They went longer today than they had in the prior 3 practices. First some good news, Wide Receiver Martavious Lee (Mo) arrived at camp today. I spoke with him briefly and he told me that he was excited to finally be with the team. Coach Whitt hopes to have Lee on the practice field tomorrow morning. Lee watched practice in a t-shirt and jeans on the sidelines.

Here are your 1st and 2nd team Wide Receivers right now for the Utes, at least in this mornings drills:

1st Team-Brooks, Smithson and Matthews

2nd Team-Christopher, Moala, Dunn

Smithson had some outstanding catches in Goal Line offense, while Matthews dropped an easy one in 11 vs. 11 drills. The best receiver on the team right now is no doubt Jeremy Brooks. JB just simply runs the most crisp routes and catches just about everything thrown his way. He’s positioned for a BIG season coming up.

Overall Coach Whitt said that the Utah Defense outplayed the Utah offense this morning. The defensive line was particularly impressive. Shelby, David Kruger, Sealver Siliga and Christan Cox all had good days. Freshman Joe Kruger continues to get a bunch of reps.

You can catch all the interviews from this mornings practice in the audio vault at espn700sports.com. Today’s interviews include Whittingham, Reggie Dunn, JJ Williams, Justin Taplin-Ross and John Cullen.

Best interview at camp so far Left Tackle John Cullen. He will become a go to guy for interviews. Well spoken and very humble for a guy that is already penciled in at starter. Whittingham said he’d like to see Cullen add about 10 pounds to his 285 pound frame.