During spring practices, coach Kyle Whittingham expressed that one of his concerns was with the wide receivers room.
He said that he and his staff would be looking to improve the depth at that position through the transfer portal.
Near the end of spring, first-year receivers coach Alvis Whitted said, “I think that we need to find a couple more guys that can help cement the room and help the room. That’s what it’s all about — putting guys in positions to have success. We do need that. I know we’ll address it after the spring moving forward. Not necessarily enough playmakers. But that will be addressed.”
On May 7, the Utes addressed that need through the transfer portal by receiving a commitment from Florida State transfer Mycah Pittman.
The 5-foot-11, 203-pound receiver caught 32 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns with the Seminoles. Before that, he played at Oregon, where he hauled in 38 receptions for 547 yards and two TDs.
Pittman is the son of longtime NFL receiver Michael Pittman. His brother is Michael Pittman Jr., who currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts.
But Mycah Pittman’s status is unclear. He missed spring practices at FSU due to an injury.
“Your boy is going to be out for four to six months,” Pittman said in a video posted on his YouTube page in mid-March. “I do not know if I will be able to make it back during the season, but we have a great training staff and we have great people around me that’s going to help me try and get back.”
Pittman said the injury was a full labral tear in his hip labrum. He said he thinks it happened during fall camp last August but he played through the injury last season, unaware of the severity of the injury at the time.
It remains to be seen when Pittman will be medically cleared to play.
Utah’s receivers room right now includes Devaughn Vele, Money Parks and Mikey Matthews.
“Devaughn Vele is the guy that’s our premier weapon on the outside. Money Parks has tremendous speed and a lot of upside. Still too many drops,” Whittingham said. “We’ve got to get those drops worked out. He has good hands; he just needs to concentrate a little bit better. Mikey Mathews just got here a few months ago and he’s doing some really good things.”
What does Vele think about the wide receivers group?
“I see a lot of growth in our receiver room. There are a lot of younger guys. We need them to step up. There’s a bigger emphasis on them getting reps in spring ball,” he said. “I feel like I’m a big part of that now that I’m the oldest guy in the room. Just helping them understand what’s expected of them. Mikey is bringing a lot of good things to the table. He’s always asking a ton of questions and he’s really bought in. I have high expectations for him as well as all the other guys that have been here.”
Florida State wide receiver Mycah Pittman (4) and teammates run to the field before the Cheez-It Bowl against Oklahoma, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. This fall the former Seminole, who is recovering from offseason surgery, hopes to be trotting onto the turf at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Phelan M. Ebenhack, Associated Press