SALT LAKE CITY — Generally speaking, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham liked what he saw on the first day of camp.
“It was OK. It was a good start,” he said after Thursday morning’s practice at Ute Field. “We’ve got a lot of install the first week, just like we do every year, and then as soon as we get the pads on next week things will start to separate from there.”
Even so, Whittingham acknowledged that it’s great to get back at it again and that it’s been a long time waiting.
The Utes, who went 9-4 overall and 5-4 in Pac-12 play last season, opened camp with 17 returning starters.
“It’s always good to have an experienced team, particularly a team that had success the previous year,” Whittingham said. “So we’ve got a lot of good football players back. They’re taking charge — good leadership out there today.”
Whittingham added that the Utes weren’t out on the field for a long time, but he liked the energy and focus of the practice.
Assistant head coach Dennis Erickson also noted that the first day of camp went well.
“I thought it was really good, a lot of enthusiasm. I thought offensively we came right back where we ended in the spring,” Erickson said. “Talk to me five days from now or six days from now when things start wearing on you a little bit. That’s how it is, but it was a good first day.”
Senior quarterbacks Travis Wilson and Kendal Thompson agreed with the assessment of the offense. Both gave positive reviews.
Wilson explained that they ran some basic stuff. However, he said the offense looked really good — noting that running the same offense as last year is a real positive.
“It went real well,” Thompson said. “Pretty smooth sailing.”
Wilson, Thompson and redshirt freshman Chase Hansen were among the players drawing praise from Whittingham after practice.
“Those three guys are getting all the reps,” he said of the quarterback competition.
“That’s the guys that are in contention right now, and they’re getting every single rep with the veterans.”
Utah’s defense, meanwhile, didn’t get off to such a positive start. New defensive coordinator John Pease said they were “ragged” on opening day. He explained that the veterans know how to play and practice.
“They know how to do it,” he continued. “Some of the younger guys, they’ll look good for three plays and then (it’s) ‘what are you doing?’”
Pease joked that it’s like having sixth-graders and Harvard graduates. The learning curve, however, will be greatly reduced.
“Obviously that’s why you have training camp,” Pease said.
Senior safety Tevin Carter wasn’t happy with the defense’s performance.
“I don’t think we did a good job today. That’s not acceptable in my eyes,” he said. “So we’ve got to pick it up, play red-line ‘D’ like we always do.”
Carter is confident it’ll happen.
“We’ve got more than enough pieces out there to play,” he said. “We’ve just got to come together as a team.”
Junior defensive end Hunter Dimick, meanwhile, was pleased with the opening practice.
“I thought it went really well,” he said. “Everyone was going real hard, as I guess most people do on the first day, but it looked good.”
EXTRA POINTS: The Utes will practice again Friday and Saturday before taking Sunday off. … All camp sessions are closed to the public. … Sophomore quarterback Brandon Cox, who broke his foot in spring ball, is still 2-3 weeks away from being cleared medically.
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