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Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson made sure everyone knew that someone who once played his position for the Utes will earn a Super Bowl ring.
Johnson’s tweet attempted to correct a Pac-12 Networks' list of conference alumni in Super Bowl LIII that left off cornerbacks Dominique Hatfield of the Los Angeles Rams and Eric Rowe of New England. The asterisk is that each player is on injured reserve. So for the first time in seven years, Utah’s alumni base won’t have an active player in the Super Bowl. Hatfield or Rowe, however, would receive a ring as a member of the championship team.
Our stories of the past week
The Utah football program landed a transfer quarterback who will make the 2020 competition interesting. (TRIB)
Utah women’s basketball player Dre’Una Edwards has returned to practice this week. Here’s a story about the way she and her teammates have dominated the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week award. (TRIB)
And then the Utes got a scare when Edwards was injured in a win over Colorado. (TRIB)
On Monday, the Utes received their first AP Top 25 women’s basketball ranking in 11 years. (TRIB)
The Ute men’s basketball program faced a tough marketing challenge Sunday, going up against the NFL championship games. Here’s what Utah is trying to do to get more fans in the Huntsman Center. (TRIB)
The Utes proceeded to steamroll Colorado, for a half. That was sufficient. (TRIB)
Utah is now in a four-way tie for fourth place in the Pac-12. Is that sustainable? (TRIB)
The Utes will play Thursday at Stanford, where coach Larry Krystkowiak has never won. (TRIB)
This week will be the only time this season when Utah plays Stanford and California. That’s a disadvantage for the Utes, but that’s not why Krystkowiak is advocating a move away from the Pac-12′s scheduling rotation. (TRIB)
MyKayla Skinner and her Utah gymnastics teammates produced a strong showing at Oregon State. (TRIB)
Gymnastics expert Lya Wodraska followed up regarding Skinner’s plans for the 2020 Olympics. (TRIB)
Bruce Woodbury, one of the most-loved former staff members of the Utah athletic department, died this week. He played a big role in the 1979 Final Four. (TRIB)
Other voices
Brad Rock of the Deseret News told some good stories about Woodbury from the old days. (DNEWS)
Pac-12 expert Jon Wilner makes Utah “a heavy favorite” in the Pac-12 South football race. (MERC)
The Oregonian’s John Canzano makes another assessment of the Pac-12′s leadership landscape. (ORE)
Around campus
• The Senior Bowl is a prime audition for NFL draft prospects. Utah safety Marquise Blair and punter Mitch Wishnowsky will play for the North team in Saturday’s game (12:30 p.m. MST, NFL Network) at Mobile, Ala.
Ute linebacker Chase Hansen withdrew from the game, due to a hip injury, according to AL.com. Hansen had missed the Holiday Bowl with an undisclosed injury.
Utah's Matt Gay kicked a 47-yard field goal in last week's East-West Shrine Game in Florida, where linebacker Cody Barton received a nice honor. In advance of the game, Barton was presented the Pat Tillman Award, given to a Shrine Game participant who “best exemplifies intelligence, sportsmanship and service.” Former Ute star Morgan Scalley, now the team's defensive coordinator, won the inaugural award in 2005.
• The Ute ski team won one meet and finished second in another on the same day. The explanation: Due to weather conditions, one race of the Colorado Invitational was staged during the Montana State Invitational. So the Utes completed their victory in the Colorado event, while finishing a close second to Colorado in the MSU competition.
Utah's next meet is the New Mexico Invitational, beginning Feb. 1.
• The launch of Utah’s men’s lacrosse program is coming soon. The Utes will host Vermont on Feb. 1 at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The rest of this season’s home games will be played at nearby Judge Memorial Catholic High School, during the construction of Utah’s new soccer/lacrosse venue.
