Utah Utes 'probably won't' release depth chart with new Big 12 injury report rule

'That's really all we'll release each week is who's available [and] who's not'

Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham said his team "probably won't" release a depth chart for nonconference games. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham said after the team's fall camp practice Monday that his program will adhere to the Big 12's new rule requiring availability reports from the league's constituents ahead of every conference game.

However, when it comes to the Utes' early-season matchups against nonleague foes, Whittingham and company will most likely keep any sort of depth chart to themselves.

"We probably won't release [a depth chart] with the new health rule," Whittingham said. "That's really all we'll release each week is who's available [and] who's not."

With fall camp wrapped up and Utah's attention focused on its season opener against UCLA, Whittingham was able to share with the media Monday that the team named Isaac Wilson as its backup quarterback to New Mexico transfer Devon Dampier.

Wilson, a true sophomore from Draper, Utah, finished as the Utes' leading passer at the end of an injury-riddled 2024 campaign in which the team trotted out four different signal-callers due to injury and general inconsistencies across the board. Wilson took over for Cam Rising early on in the season and completed 56.4% of his passes for 1,510 yards, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while making nine appearances, including seven starts.

Nov 16, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Isaac Wilson (11) scrambles with the ball in the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Wilson beat out true freshman Byrd Ficklin for the No. 2 spot on Utah's quarterback depth chart for 2025 with a strong showing in fall camp.

As for the other important position battles Whittingham and the coaching staff monitored over the last three weeks, fans will probably have to wait and see how those panned out during the Utes' first few regular season games.

"We'll adhere to the rule," Whittingham said. "And the way I understand it, the rule's not in place for nonconference games, so it's only when you're you're facing a conference opponent. So we'll fill the paper out, or whatever the procedure is, and go from there."

The Big 12 announced last week that the league will publicly provide player availability reports for all conference games in football, men's basketball and women's basketball, starting with the 2025-26 season. The Big Ten and SEC have been following similar rules for a few seasons now, as the Big 12 joins the ACC in implementing injury reports for the first time in 2025.

For Whittingham and the Utes, the rule will require them to submit daily reports three days before each conference game. Like pro franchises do in the NFL, Big 12 teams will need to categorize players as "available," "probable," "questionable," "doubtful" or "out" in their availability reports.

Here's more from Whittingham regarding Utah's specialists unit and safety Tao Johnson.

On Utah's specialists unit:

"They had a good day today. It's been a little bit erratic; some positive days, some not so good days. But Dillon Curtis, our place kicker, was 100% today. He's got a strong leg. He's without question, got the strongest leg that we've ever had here. Now, Matt Gay might take exception to that, and Andy Phillips. But [Curtis] hit a 65-yarder in practice with no problem. He's a freshman; he's never kicked under the bright lights so, my guess is he'll handle it pretty well, but he is not kicked in a college football game, so we don't want to get ahead of ourselves. But as far as leg strength, it's there."

"Orion [Phillips], our punter, has had a little bit of a sore leg during the course of camp, so he was shut down for a little bit of time, and now he's back and looks like he's going to be able to do a good job for us."

On Tao Johnson and his development from wide receiver to safety:

"He's the captain of the secondary back there, him and Smith Snowden. He's everything you want in free safety: he's a good tackler, he's got range, he's got instincts, he takes good angles to the ball. He's got good ball skills. He was a receiver when he came here, so he's certainly very capable as a ball catcher. And he's got a size ... he's the whole package."

"Ever since he got here, he's taken a step forward each year. I can't remember when we moved him [from wide receiver] — I think it was after his freshman year when he moved him to safety. But when we recruited him, we had that in mind; he may end up on that side of the ball. I think he's really in the right spot."