As frustrated as Utes defensive end Kylie Fitts gets about not being his usual self on the football field this season, he also knows he could easily find himself in much worse situations.
In the Pac-12 Conference opener at Arizona, Fitts suffered an ankle injury that has hampered him for the past month. He missed the game against Stanford and had to sit most of the game at USC after starting.
A Southern California resident, Fitts retweeted a photo of Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa the week leading into the USC game. The photo showed the school before and after it had been decimated by recent deadly wildfires. An estimated 8,400 structures in Northern California have been destroyed in those fires.
While Fitts attended Redlands East Valley, his two older brothers went to and played football for Cardinal Newman. His father also served as an offensive line coach for that football program.
“I was always there being like the ball boy for the team,” Fitts said. “My dad coached there, so I pretty much lived at the high school. I was supposed to go there, but when I was 12 my family moved to Southern California so I wasn’t able to attend there. But I pretty much grew up there.”
Fitts said his friends in the area escaped unharmed, but some lost homes.
Fitts, who received a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA in order to play this season after suffering a season-ending injury last year, missed part of the San Jose State game this season due to the school’s concussion protocol.
“Nothing is ever as bad [as it seems]” Fitts said. “There’s always a lot worse out there. I’m also grateful no matter what injuries I go through. Even though it’s frustrating, I’m very grateful — even having just a minor injury that I’m able to come back from — like last week even though I couldn’t do what I wanted to I was just grateful that I was able to get out there and play a game with my teammates.”
Herbert healing
Oregon’s starting quarterback Justin Herbert suffered a broken collarbone in the fifth game of the season against Cal. Herbert, who last season became the first true freshman to start at quarterback since 1983, passed for 1,178 yards and went 79-of-118 with nine touchdowns prior to his injury.
During the weekly Pac-12 coaches media conference call, Oregon coach Willie Taggart didn’t say whether or not Hebert would be available to start this weekend against the Utes.
“Justin is doing well,” Taggart said. “He went out today and he was throwing dimes out there today. That was pretty neat to see, and he’s so eager to get back on the football field. He’s improving and he’s doing well.”
Musical chairs
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said that offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Troy Taylor will shift from the sideline to the press box for Saturday’s game. Tight ends coach Fred Whittingham Jr. will move from the press box to field level. Whittingham called the move Taylor’s decision and said he supported the decision.
