Robert O'Connell

InDepth

To play or not to play: How parents should approach sports during COVID-19’s winter season

A new report advises families on youth sports during the indoor months of the pandemic.

InDepth

How the College Football Playoff misunderstands college football

As the usual suspects round out another slate of semifinal games, critics wonder whether the sport’s regional culture is undermined by its marquee event.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

The perseverance of Steve Sarkisian. How this coach and former BYU quarterback fought his way back

The onetime Cougar reached the pinnacle of college football, fell from it, and has gotten to the top again.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

Fans, football and the search for meaning in BYU’s successful 2020 season

As the 2020 season unfolded amid a pandemic, the slights of pundits and ranking organizations matter less than the the season itself.

By Robert O’Connell

Sports

What Taysom Hill has proven in his time as a starting quarterback — and what’s left to prove

The job description of Drew Brees’ fill-in limits his ability to showcase his talent, but Taysom Hill has earned his coach’s respect because: “The job is to win.”

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

Utah great Alex Smith’s comeback is the inspiration his high school needed

The Washington Football Team quarterback has returned to the field after an injury that nearly took his life.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

How recounts and court cases factor into the election

An unprecedented amount of mail-in voting, and a litigious candidate, create the possibility of an election argued over in the courts

By Robert O’Connell

In this Nov. 4, 1948, file photo, President Harry S. Truman at St. Louis’ Union Station holds up an election day edition of the Chicago Daily Tribune, which - based on early results - mistakenly announced “Dewey Defeats Truman.”

InDepth

When the media gets a close election wrong

How past missteps in calling elections can help viewers watch this year’s race with care.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

Kanye isn’t going to win, but could he change the future of elections?

The hip-hop superstar has demonstrated that celebrities have increasing power as political candidates.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

What the polls tell us, and what they can’t

As polls in the lead-up to the 2020 election show wide gaps, people across the political spectrum remember the lessons of 2016.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

What do the experts have to say about the COVID-19 second wave?

Cooling weather and public messaging play a role, but scientists point to a simple drop in vigilance as the main culprit.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

Watch: Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for Trump nominee Amy Coney Barrett continue

Amy Coney Barrett, 48, would fill the seat held by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal and legal icon who died last month at 87-years-old from cancer.

By Jeff Parrott and Robert O’Connell

InDepth

Is a packed court possible?

Amid the tension surrounding Amy Coney Barrett’s likely replacement of Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court, the idea of expanding the court has gained traction.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

Long drives and few chances: How COVID-19 has remade the rodeo circuit

As the coronavirus pandemic forces the shuttering of rodeo events, a tight community of cowboys and organizers bands together.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

Patrick Mahomes, Jon Gruden, Mike Florio, and the NFL’s coronavirus blame game

Fans call out player transgressions, the NFL fines coaches, but COVID-19 continues to disrupt pro football.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

The Barrett factor: Will President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee favor oil companies in a climate change lawsuit?

Next year, the court will decide whether oil companies will face lawsuits in state or federal courts.

By Robert O’Connell

Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett listens as Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., not shown, speaks during their meeting on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, in Washington.

InDepth

The Barrett factor: Would the new justice upend the Voting Rights Act?

The Supreme Court is set to hear a case early next year that could reset the balance between protecting election integrity and ensuring fair access for all voters.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

The Barrett factor: How would the new justice rule on religious freedom and gay rights?

If confirmed before the election, Barrett will soon hear a religious liberty case with far-reaching implications

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

The Barrett factor: Will Trump’s Supreme Court nominee roll back abortion access?

What the potential Justice’s legal history, writings and prior testimony say about her position on reproductive rights.

By Robert O’Connell

Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett, meets with Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., not shown, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020 at the Capitol in Washington.

InDepth

The Barrett factor: Will President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee help decide the election?

If confirmed, Amy Coney Barrett could become a deciding voice if this November’s presidential election is contested in the courts.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

The Barrett factor: Will President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee help end Obamacare?

The Supreme Court is set to hear a case against the Affordable Care Act shortly after November’s election.

By Robert O’Connell

U.S. & World

What you need to know about Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Trump’s pick for the Supreme Court

The president announced the nomination on Saturday; Judge Barrett, a practicing Catholic, could face questions over her experience and religious views.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

How dangerous are the polls in a pandemic?

As some states ramp up mail-in voting and the NBA offers its arenas as polling locations, some experts compare the risks of in-person voting to shopping for groceries.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

SCOTUS shortlist: The Utah senator

Lee is an unlikely pick, but his presence in the discussion hints at what Trump values in a Supreme Court justice.

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

SCOTUS shortlist: A Black Lives Matter target

Will Daniel Cameron, a protege of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, go from the Breonna Taylor shooting case to the Supreme Court?

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

SCOTUS shortlist: ‘We love Florida’

In an election season, nominating Judge Barbara Lagoa, a Cuban American, could boost President Trump’s support in a key swing state

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

The SCOTUS shortlist: Mike and Thomas Lee among President Trump’s potential nominees

Following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the White House and Senate are moving quickly to initiate what could be a contentious process to select her replacement.

By Robert O’Connell

View of Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City

InDepth

Are college sports in trouble? Asking for Kyle Whittingham

Is the Utes’ furlough of the athletic department a temporary belt-tightening or a sign of broader change?

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

Past taking a knee: How a wildcat strike led the NBA to embrace political activism

NBA players made a statement by sitting out games. What happens when the teams return to the court?

By Robert O’Connell

InDepth

The price of loyalty: Can Damian Lillard win an NBA title in Portland?

The Weber State alum and Portland Trail Blazers superstar wants to win on his terms, with his team.

By Robert O’Connell