As was the case many times last season, the biggest storyline for Utah heading into Saturday’s game against Colorado is who will start at quarterback.
Starter Devon Dampier has been dealing with an ankle injury throughout much of the season. It’s an injury that he originally picked up in the third week of the season at Wyoming, and one that significantly hampered him in the loss to Texas Tech.
Over the next few weeks, including the bye, Dampier got healthier, and it showed in his play, but he reinjured that ankle in the third quarter of the loss last week to BYU.
Dampier, who had been effective on the ground up to that point, finished the game, but didn’t run the ball once after reinjuring his ankle.
But it appears that Dampier could give give it a go on Saturday.
If he can’t play, it’ll be freshman quarterback Byrd Ficklin getting the start.
The Utes’ latest injury report, released Friday night, listed Dampier as probable, meaning he has a 75% chance to play against the Buffaloes.
If Dampier does indeed start, depending on how his ankle is feeling, Ficklin could have a role in the game, just like he did against BYU.
Ficklin ran three times in the fourth quarter in Provo, including a 16-yard run to set up a Daniel Bray score.
Because Dampier has been nursing the ankle injury throughout the season, Ficklin has received first-team reps in practice early in the week multiple times this year, including this week.
Those reps will be key if Ficklin is called upon on Saturday.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound freshman has played in 65 snaps — mostly in blowouts — and has totaled 111 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries, plus 138 yards and a touchdown on 9 for 9 accuracy through the air. In other words, so far, Ficklin has looked up to snuff.
His running ability is similar to Dampier’s, but his arm may actually be stronger than Utah’s starter. Of course, he lacks the game experience Dampier has, hasn’t been in offensive coordinator Jason Beck’s system for two seasons like Dampier and is entirely unproven in competitive games.
If it’s Ficklin playing on Saturday, Utah’s coaches have confidence in him.
“We got a ton of confidence in him. Every time he’s entered a game so far this year, he’s done positive things,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “And if we have to go that route, I shouldn’t say if we have to go, if we end up going that route based on health, then we got the confidence in him that he can get it done.”
The Buffaloes have a 3-4 record, having lost conference games to BYU, Houston and TCU before picking up their first Big 12 win against Iowa State two weeks ago.
“I know they’re 3-4, but the combined record of those four losses of the teams they played is 25-3. I mean, they’ve played some really good teams and so they are a much better football team than their record indicates. I can tell you that for certain,” Whittingham said.
But the Buffaloes’ defense has allowed 404.9 yards per game (No. 101 in the country) and their rushing defense is allowing 188 yards per game (No. 116 in the country).
For Utah, the offensive game plan is simple — keep the ball on the ground. The Utes have one of the more effective run games in the country, gaining 245 yards per game.
On defense, the Utes are facing yet another dual-threat quarterback in Kaidon Salter. Salter has thrown for 1,156 yards and nine touchdowns with four interceptions on 65.5% completion, and has rushed for 270 yards and five touchdowns.
“Like a lot of the teams we’ve played this year, they got a quarterback who’s really a good runner,” Whittingham said, “and I think that’s one of the reasons ... our run defense this year is not as good as it typically is.
“And I think a big reason for that is we’ve seen so much QB run game in the first seven games of the year, and this is another guy that runs the ball exceptionally well, and that’s one of their best attributes.”
Salter has a few good receiving targets in Omarion Miller (371 yards, four touchdowns) and Joseph Williams (370 yards, three touchdowns). Williams was once committed to Utah before reconsidering and choosing to go to Colorado.
“They got a lot of playmakers. They got a very good quarterback, good receivers, good o-line. It’s going to be a tough task, but I think if we do what we need to do, we can come out with the win,” Utah linebacker Johnathan Hall said.
Wide receiver Tobias Merriweather and defensive tackle Dallas Vakalahi are out with injuries. Additionally, linebacker Lander Barton will miss the first half Saturday due to a targeting call in the second half of the BYU game.
“I wish he could be there, but we got a lot of depth at the linebacker position. Man, we have full faith in the whole crew, so Lander, he’ll be back soon enough,” Hall said.
Hall and Levani Damuni should get the bulk of the linebacker reps in the first half, and Trey Reynolds could also contribute.
Utah is now a 12.5-point favorite, down from 15.5, likely due to the Utes’ quarterback uncertainty.