LAS VEGAS — With the pomp and circumstance of Mountain West Conference Media Day behind them, Utah representatives Brandon Burton and Zane Taylor are looking ahead to the start of camp and the Sept. 2 season-opener against Pittsburgh.
No more questions, they hope, about the Utes' move to the Pac-10 in 2011.
"It's so far ahead in the future right now, especially for the seniors," Taylor said as interviews concluded at the Red Rock Resort. "I mean that's the last thing we want to focus on because it has nothing to do with us. This season is the most important things on our minds."
And how.
"This is kind of our last mention of this whole conference change," Taylor continued. "Then we get down to business and start winning games."
Utah's conference switch was a frequent topic at the meetings. The players fielded questions about it all three days they were in Las Vegas.
"It'll be nice to get around the teammates, seniors that are playing for this year, and talk to them about how the season is going to go," Burton said. "When I get back, I'm just going to concentrate about the 2010 season and get ready for that."
Despite the potential distraction of being asked to look ahead, the junior said he hasn't had any problem maintaining focus on the task at hand.
Neither has Taylor.
"That's kind of how our attitude has been. A week after the announcement was made, it was like 'Yeah, we're excited,' but that's too far ahead in the future," he explained. "I mean none of that matters right now. All that matters right now is beating Pittsburgh and then going on from there — eventually winning the Mountain West Conference, which is our ultimate goal."
As for the others seeking a similar quest, Burton noted that the MWC players and coaches they mingled with at media day were "courteous" and "real nice" about Utah's impending departure from the league.
"They didn't come off as like the jealous type that we were moving on to the Pac-10," Burton said. "It was mostly just questions in the (media) interviews and everything."
Each team sent two players to the media gathering. Taylor and Burton represented Utah's offense and defense, respectively.
"You want to have good representation and guys that have some done some good things for you on the field, in the classroom, in the community — well-round guys," said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. "Both of them fit that mold."
Burton and Taylor indicated that they enjoyed the gathering, which included interaction with the other teams in the league.
"It was a great experience just getting to know all the guys and coaches," Burton said. "... It's good to know that they do kind of like you a little bit instead of wanting to kill you all the time."
Taylor also appreciated how things went.
"It's definitely been a blast, for sure. I've been meeting a lot of really great people from the different teams. I've been really impressed with all the other guys. They are all really class-act guys," he said. "We've had a lot of fun just hanging out together, made some memories for sure."
Taylor also enjoyed meeting the various reporters who attended the event — well, sort of.
"It's really been a pretty exciting experience," he said. "Although a bit exhausting."
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