SALT LAKE CITY — As soon as Utah coach Kyle Whittingham walked off the practice field Tuesday, he was asked about the Utes’ situation at center.
“We’ll find out. It’s tenuous,” he said. “How about that? Is that a good word?”
After losing senior starter J.J. Dielman to a season-ending lower leg injury, the Utes have a big void to fill as Saturday’s home game with Arizona approaches.
“We’re looking at anybody and everybody,” Whittingham joked. “Yep. We’re blowing through centers.”
Dielman was injured on Utah’s sixth play from scrimmage in last weekend’s 28-23 loss at California. Junior Lo Fakemala filled in the rest of the way.
After earning All-Pac-12 honors at tackle as a junior, Dielman moved over to center when projected starter Hiva Lutui suffered a career-ending injury in spring ball.
Whittingham said that Dielman handled the news of his own injury well.
“It’s obviously a blow, but it’s not as bad as some of those injuries are,” explained Whittingham, who noted that Dielman faces three or four months of recovery time and not as many as nine.
That’s a positive, Whittingham added, because it means Dielman will be ready in time for some of the pre-draft activities for the NFL.
In the meantime, Dielman wants to continue in his leadership role as a captain.
“He wants to stay close to the team. He wants to travel with us,” Whittignham said. “He wants to just be around because he’s our team leader.”
BACK AT IT: Defensive tackle Lowell Lotulelei is eager to get back in action after missing half of the USC game and the entire contest at California with an undisclosed injury.
“I’m excited,” Lotulelei said. “Ready to get back into it.”
The returning first-team all-conference honoree noted that he’s as good as you can be health-wise at this point of the season.
A BIG DEAL: Tight ends coach Freddie Whittingham noted the loss of the man in the middle of the offensive line.
“It is a big deal because it all starts there with the snap. If the snap is not back to the quarterback with good pace and in the right place it’s tough to get the play started,” he said. “But we have faith in the guys that are going to be stepping on the field on Saturday. They’re here because they are good players and it’s like coach always says: It’s the ‘next man-up mentality.’ There should be no drop off.”