Star Utah defensive end John Henry Daley is out for the rest of the season, coach Kyle Whittingham announced Monday.
Daley suffered a noncontact lower-leg injury in the first quarter of Utah’s 51-47 comeback win over Kansas State on Saturday.
Daley dropped back in coverage on third-and-8 with 2:44 left in the first quarter and began hopping around on one foot before falling to the ground and grabbing his leg.
It’s a brutal ending to an incredible season by the redshirt sophomore and BYU transfer. Daley was the anchor of Utah’s defensive line, totaling 11.5 sacks this season — tied for second in the nation.
The new “Mayor of Sack Lake City” accounted for 38.3% of Utah’s 30 team sacks in 2025.
Daley ends his season with 48 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a pass breakup.
“John Henry(’s injury) is long-term, unfortunately it’s a season-ending injury,” Whittingham said.
Prior to his injury, Daley was on pace for perhaps his best game of the season. In less than one quarter of play, he had four tackles (3.5 for loss) and two sacks.
“Felt bad for him. He was having a monster game. He was only 15 snaps in and he had like four or five impact plays and so just tough to see that happen to John Henry,” Whittingham said. “That’s why I say it all the time, it’s the worst part of college football is the injuries and seeing these guys go down and so he unfortunately is long-term.”
Redshirt freshman Kash Dillon and redshirt junior Lance Holtzclaw will be counted on to fill Henry’s place opposite defensive end Logan Fano.
Dillon has played 252 snaps this season and has totaled 26 tackles, 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Holtzclaw, a Washington transfer, has played 241 snaps this year with 19 tackles (three for loss), 0.5 sacks and a pass breakup.
“Kash Dillon is a guy that we think has a tremendous upside. He’s played quite a few snaps already this year, but when we lost John Henry, it was up to him and Lance to come in and do some good things and they both did. And so that’s fortunate for us that we had depth at those positions,” Whittingham said.
Utah has a short week to get ready to take on Kansas in the regular-season finale on Friday at 10 a.m. MST. The Utes are vying for their first 10-win regular season since 2019, when Utah went 11-1.
