Utah football will reportedly host North Texas transfer on visit

Utes will reportedly host a three-star transfer on a visit

Utah Utes head coach Morgan Scalley will be tasked with revamping the coaching staff and roster for his first full season at the helm of the program. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Having already lost several key pieces on the defensive side of the ball to the draft and transfer portal, Utah was expected to actively search the open market for more depth and talent over the course of the 2026 transfer cycle.

Ethan Day, a 6-foot-4 edge rusher out of North Texas, was evidently tagged as someone who could potentially fill the Utes' needs along the defensive line.

On3's Pete Nakos reported Saturday that Utah and Wisconsin would have chances to host Day on separate visits. It wasn't specified as to when the junior from Ripon, California, would be making his respective stops in Salt Lake City and Madison.

Day, a junior college product who transferred from Wyoming to North Texas ahead of the 2025 campaign, entered his name into the portal again following a productive season. While starting all 14 games, he recorded 53 total tackles, 4.5 sacks and a fumble recovery for the Mean Green, which finished with a 12-2 record capped off by a 49-47 victory over San Diego State in the New Mexico Bowl. It was the first time North Texas collected 12 wins in a season in program history.

Day went into the portal as a three-star and the No. 14 defensive lineman available, according to 247Sports. The 2026 season would be his fourth playing Division I ball and his fifth overall when including the one year he spent at Modesto Community College in Modesto, California, where he was selected as an All-Valley Conference honorable mention after posting 16 tackles and 3.0 sacks in nine appearances.

Day played in a combined 14 games in 2023 and 2024, recording 19 total tackles and 0.5 sacks with the Cowboys.

The Utes lost a couple of key pieces along their defensive line at the conclusion of their 11-win campaign. Their all-American edge rusher, John Henry Daley, announced his intentions of portaling prior to Utah's 44-22 win over Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl. That news came almost two weeks after his partner in crime on the other side of the defensive line, Logan Fano, made a joint declaration for the 2026 NFL Draft with his brother, Utah tackle Spencer Fano.

Utah recorded 34 sacks in 2025, third-most among Big 12 teams. Daley and Logan Fano combined for 16 of their team's quarterback takedowns, with Daley posting an impressive 11.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss before going down with a season-ending leg injury on Nov. 22.

The first day of the 2026 transfer cycle, which was Jan. 2, saw Utah defensive backs Smith Snowden and Tao Johnson seize their respective opportunities to test their value on the open market.

The transfer portal will close Jan. 16.

North Texas EDGE Ethan Day is set to visit Wisconsin and Utah, @PeteNakos reports.

Posted 7 TFLs and 4.5 sacks in 2025. https://t.co/adjnAmHgQy pic.twitter.com/s4dWgRwPjW

— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) January 3, 2026