Utah quarterback Devon Dampier wasn’t at 100% health against Baylor.
In the Utes’ 55-28 win at Baylor last week, Dampier didn’t have a great game — 6-of-13 passing for 80 yards and a touchdown and eight carries for 23 yards.
Offensive coordinator Jason Beck gave Dampier a break running the ball — a few of those eight carries came on scrambles — instead relying on running back Wayshawn Parker and backup quarterback Byrd Ficklin to carry most of the rushing load.
Though Dampier still played most of the game until the starters were pulled in the fourth quarter of the blowout, the break he got from running helped him he said this week on the “Sean O’Connell Show.”
“I guess I won’t talk specifics, but just banged up for sure. To be honest, last game kind of helped me with Byrd stepping up and Wayshawn having the game they did,” Dampier said. “I didn’t have to run as much, so to be honest, it was like another day of healing.
“I didn’t walk out the game hurting more. I practiced Tuesday. It’s been the first time I’ve done it in a long time, taking all the reps. So yeah, it kind of worked out for me at the end.”
Dampier being a physical participant in Tuesday’s practice is meaningful — there’s been weeks where Utah’s starting quarterback only takes “mental reps” in practice.
While Dampier still isn’t at 100% health, he wasn’t listed on Wednesday’s or Thursday’s availability report, meaning that he should be available to start at quarterback for Utah.
“I guess I won’t talk specifics, but just banged up for sure. To be honest, last game kind of helped me with Byrd stepping up and Wayshawn having the game they did. I didn’t have to run as much, so to be honest, it was like another day of healing.”
— Utah QB Devon Dampier
“Quarterback’s one of those positions. You’re supposed to be the toughest on the team, and that’s just the way I roll,” Dampier said. “I put my body on the line for my boys. I know they do the same for me, so just going out there and coaches believing in me, that’s why I’m out there. So yeah, just continue to play.”
Only once this season have the Utes started freshman backup Byrd Ficklin, and that was partly because Dampier told the coaching staff he wasn’t feeling up to starting, though he would have been available in an emergency.
Dampier has brought the Utes to an 8-2 record, and it appears that Utah is going to continue to start him if he’s cleared by doctors to play — even if he isn’t 100%.
“We just need him on game day to say ‘I’m ready to go.’ He knows this offense inside and out as I’ve said many times, and the reps for him, even if they’re just mental or even just not moving but just taking the snap and going through his progression,” Whittingham said. “... He’s a veteran, and if he didn’t feel like he could help us win, then he’d let us know.”
If Dampier is unable to play, the Utes have a capable backup in Ficklin, who has totaled 442 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground and has completed 61.8% of his passes for 301 yards and three scores.
Utah is back at Rice-Eccles Stadium Saturday for Senior Day and its home finale against Kansas State, which has injury issues of its own.
The Wildcats’ leading receiver, Jayce Brown (712 yards, five touchdowns) is out for Saturday’s game, and Kansas State’s third-leading receiver, Jerand Bradley, is questionable. Tight end Garrett Oakley (356 yards, five touchdowns) could be quarterback Avery Johnson’s go-to target.
After a 1-4 start, Kansas State’s schedule eased up a bit, and the Wildcats responded by winning four of their next six games, including a 42-17 win over rival Kansas.
In the last two games, however, the Wildcats have been shaky, losing 43-20 to Texas Tech and escaping Stillwater with a 14-7 win over winless-in-Big-12-play Oklahoma State.
At 5-5, the Wildcats are fighting for bowl eligibility after being dubbed one of the Big 12 favorites during the preseason. Starting running back Dylan Edwards, who rushed for 546 yards and five touchdowns a season ago, suffered an injury that kept him out of most of the games this season and is now transferring. Joe Jackson has stepped up with 476 yards and two touchdowns.
Johnson hasn’t been bad, but hasn’t lived up to preseason expectations. He’s thrown for 2,168 yards and 17 touchdowns with five interceptions on 60.5% accuracy and is the Wildcats’ second-leading rusher with 369 yards and seven scores. That’s a step down from last season’s 605 rushing yards, but Johnson can still beat you on the ground.
“It’s more back to the kind of quarterbacks that we faced most weeks this year where the quarterback run game is in play,” Whittingham said. “They got a physical offensive line and they’re a little more 12 personnel, two tight ends, than most teams that we’ve seen this year. So that’ll be a little bit of a change as well.”
Defensively, Kansas State is giving up 376 yards per game (No. 10 in the Big 12), — 152.2 rushing yards (No. 10) and 223.8 passing yards (No. 11).
One aspect that Kansas State’s defense excels in is turning the ball over — the Wildcats have forced 24 turnovers, No. 4 in the nation. In the 14-6 win at Oklahoma State, Kansas State forced five turnovers, but its offense struggled to capitalize on those turnovers.
Kansas State’s defense will certainly be tougher than the one that Utah just faced in Baylor, but Las Vegas likes the Utes in the matchup — Utah is a 17.5-point favorite over Kansas State.
Saturday’s home finale is Senior Day, with 19 players walking in the pregame ceremony.
The 16 seniors to be honored are linebacker Moroni Anae, linebacker Lander Barton, tight end Dallen Bentley, receiver Luca Caldarella, cornerback Blake Cotton, kicker Joey Cheek, linebacker Levani Damuni, receiver Ryan Davis, running back Bryce Duke, running back Frankie Goodson, center Jaren Kump, guard Michael Mokofisi, running back NaQuari Rogers, tight end Otto Tia, guard Tanoa Togiai and defensive tackle Aliki Vimahi.
Three juniors — offensive tackle Spencer Fano, defensive end Logan Fano and offensive tackle Caleb Lomu — will also walk during Senior Day festivities.
Saturday’s game will be the last time most of that group plays at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Will it be the final time that Kyle Whittingham coaches at Rice-Eccles Stadium?
Whittingham — the current second-longest-tenured coach in college football — turned 66 on Friday and will have a decision to make about his future. According to his contract, revised last year, Utah’s coach has to “notify the university in writing whether he intends to retire at the conclusion of the 2025 football season” by Dec. 5, if the Utes aren’t in the Big 12 championship game, or by Dec. 12 if the Utes are.
As expected, the longtime Utah coach hasn’t given any hints as to his decision.
“I have no clue what head man’s going to do, but I think he set it up beautiful for Coach Scalley to take over when that time comes. But man, we got no clue. We got no clue what’s up there,” Dampier said on ESPN 700.
Don’t expect any sort of decision — or announcement — from Whittingham until that deadline by the school. He is in the throes of the season, with a Big 12 championship game spot or a College Football Playoff appearance still in play.
After the regular season concludes, Whittingham will have more time to focus on and make the big decision of whether now is the right time to walk away from coaching football forever.
“I’ll be here one day and gone the next,” Whittingham said.
