SALT LAKE CITY — There’s a big man on campus at the University of Utah. Offensive lineman Bamidele Olaseni, a 6-foot-7, 332-pound NJCAA All-American from Garden City Community College in Kansas, is a late arrival at camp after completing academic requirements.
“Bam is here. He is getting through some compliance and things you’ve got to do to be ready to get on the field. He’s had his physical and all that stuff,” Whittingham said. “He should be on the field tomorrow.”
However, Whittingham noted that Olaseni won’t get any snaps Saturday, but will get a workout in. The Utes need to find out where he is physically and bring him up to speed on things.
KICK-A-RAMA: Whittingham said there’s no break in the competition to replace former Lou Groza Award winner Matt Gay as Utah’s kicker.
Andrew Strauch, a graduate transfer from UCLA, is battling walk-ons Jadon Redding and Nels Haltom for the job in camp.
“It’s still going. It’s unresolved,” Whittingham said. “It is as unresolved now as it was on Day One. But we’ve still got, what, nearly three weeks to go? So no panic has set in yet.”
Whittingham said they’re just waiting for some separation to take place.
EXTRA POINTS: After four hard practices this week, Whittingham said they lightened things up and took the pads off on Friday ... The Utes have a closed scrimmage scheduled for Saturday ... The third and concluding week of camp begins Monday.