I feel bad for these kids. They lay it on the line. They lay their bodies on the line every week and there’s going to be some serious injuries that occur and unfortunately we had some on Saturday night. – Utah coach Kyle Whittingham
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah and Oregon suffered season-ending losses in Saturday’s game at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Injuries sidelined starters, all juniors, for both teams. The Utes lost quarterback Kendal Thompson (knee) and wide receiver Tim Patrick (lower leg), while the Ducks lost tight end Pharaoh Brown (leg injury).
“I feel bad for these kids. They lay it on the line,” said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. “They lay their bodies on the line every week and there’s going to be some serious injuries that occur and unfortunately we had some on Saturday night."
Whittingham also told reporters at his Monday press conference that injuries are the worst part of what he called “a brutal game.” He said collisions that take place and the things that go on in major college football can be “very violent” and “it’s the most unfortunate part of the game.”
Oregon’s Brown did not accompany his team back to Eugene after the 51-27 victory and is receiving care at University Hospital. Whittingham tried to visit him Sunday but Brown was in surgery. He plans to make another attempt to see Brown soon.
"Unfortunately that was a significant injury,” Oregon coach Mark Helfrich told The Oregonian. “If you're a prayerful person, a thoughtful person, obviously our thoughts and hearts are with Pharaoh as well as a couple Utah guys who had unbelievably significant noncontact injuries in that game."
When asked if the stadium’s FieldTurf may have been a factor in the rash of injuries, Whittingham said he would have no idea where to begin answering that question or how to evaluate that.
“It seems OK to me,” he said after referring such inquiries to the grounds crew and those people.
Brown’s season ends with 25 catches for 420 yards and six touchdowns.
Utah’s injuries brought a premature end to the inaugural campaigns of two transfers.
Thompson, who came to Utah after graduating from Oklahoma, appeared in seven games and made two starts. The dual-threat quarterback completed 32 of 52 passes for 324 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He had 192 yards and one TD rushing.
Travis Wilson has reclaimed the starting quarterback job. Redshirt freshmen Brandon Cox and Conner Manning are competing for the backup spot.
“They’ve got to be ready and we’ve got to decide early this week which one we’re going to sink the majority of the reps into — who’s going to be the backup and who’s going to be No. 3,” Whittingham said. “That’s got to be something that’s a top priority for us early in the week and that’s where we’re at quarterback-wise.”
The loss of Patrick, who played in all nine games this season and made 16 catches for 177 yards, weakens a receiving corps that lost Dres Anderson to injury two weeks ago.
Whittingham said the guys that are left have got to get it done for the Utes. Of that group, Whittingham noted that receiving leader Kenneth Scott has been slowed by some things injury-wise that have been ailing him.
“We’re not down on Scotty,” Whittingham said. “He’s just doing the best he can right now with his situation.”
This week’s depth chart lists Scott, Kaelin Clay and freshman Kenric Young as starters. Primary reserves include sophomore Delshawn McClellon, freshman Jameson Field and senior Andre Lewis.
“I still have faith that we have guys that can get the job done,” Wilson said. “Obviously it’s not a good situation with Tim and Dres going down, but guys are going to step up and fill those roles.”
In other injury news, Whittingham announced that starting safety Tevin Carter (hip flexor/abdominal area) will not play for the rest of the year. Whittingham said paperwork would be filed at the end of the season for a medical hardship appeal from the NCAA.
Carter, a senior, has not played since the UCLA game on Oct. 4 when he returned an interception 27 yards for a touchdown. He appeared in four games, making 16 tackles (3 1/2 behind the line of scrimmage) with two interceptions and a pass breakup.
Linebacker Jason Whittingham, who has been sidelined with an undisclosed injury since Utah’s win over Fresno State on Sept. 6, will return to practice in a noncontact capacity this week — if everything goes well.
“And if there’s no steps backward we may have him back for the last two ballgames,” said Kyle Whittingham.
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