Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham gave an update on the status of quarterback Devon Dampier during his Monday press conference, and the news leaves plenty of uncertainty heading into this week. Whittingham said Dampier “got beat up in this game pretty good” following Utah’s 24-21 loss to BYU, and his availability for the Utes’ upcoming home matchup with Colorado remains up in the air. The game is scheduled for a 9:15 p.m. CT kickoff on ESPN.
Dampier took several hard hits in the rivalry loss to the Cougars and was clearly limited physically late in the game. While he was able to finish the contest, it was apparent that the toll had added up. Whittingham did not specify the nature of the injury but acknowledged that Dampier would be evaluated throughout the week to determine whether he is healthy enough to play on Saturday.
If Dampier is unable to go, the next man up is true freshman Byrd Ficklin. The former three-star prospect has been really solid in limited action, but has only played a total of two quarters this season. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Ficklin brings a different skill set to the position and would be thrown into the fire quickly if asked to start in a prime-time Big 12 matchup.
Whittingham said the staff is preparing both quarterbacks this week and that a decision would come later, depending on how Dampier’s body responds to treatment and limited practice reps. Ficklin has reportedly made strides in recent weeks and would have the full confidence of the staff if needed.
Injuries have been a recurring theme for the Utes this year, and this is just the latest challenge facing Whittingham’s squad. Whether it is Dampier or Ficklin under center, Utah will need strong play at quarterback to avoid another loss in conference play.
