What Utah's Kyle Whittingham said leading up to season opener vs. UCLA

'It'll be a big challenge for our guys'

Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham and his program face the UCLA Bruins in their 2025 regular season opener. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Utah football head coach Kyle Whittingham addressed the media Monday ahead of the team's season opener against UCLA.

The Utes won't have a depth chart readily available, though an injury report will be provided later in the week leading up to Saturday's showdown at the Rose Bowl. Kickoff from Pasadena, California, is set for 8 p.m. PT/9 p.m. MT on FOX.

Here's what Whittingham had to say to reporters on Monday.

On UCLA's roster and making adjustments in a season opener

"Even though we're very familiar with the venue and the program, it'll be very new as far as personnel and the guys we're going to face. We know they got a new offensive coordinator who comes from Indiana, so [we] did a lot of film study on the Indiana scheme last year. Defense coordinator's back, new special teams coordinator; big, strong, athletic, quarterback transfer from Tennessee."

"Like any opener, there's a lot of unknowns. Even when you're playing a team that has had very little turnover, there's still a lot of unknowns and things that you're gonna have to adjust for in-game, and not at halftime; well before that. So there may be some adjustments we have to make very likely in the first quarter and typically in an opener, teams that do the best job of that have the best chance of winning. So hopefully we'll be on our game, as far as that goes."

On what Utah's identity will be in 2025

"Well, there's a lot of new faces, I can tell you that. Fifty percent of the guys we got weren't a part of what went on last year. But we're excited about things we're doing on offense; it's a new scheme and new quarterback, and I think there'll be some — hopefully — some good stuff."

"But you never know what you're going to get until you line up and play somebody else. You can only learn so much playing against yourselves, but I know our guys that were here last year and went through that debacle — I guess, for lack of a better word — are excited to get back on the field and get going and and try to try to make a better showing."

On UCLA's defensive line going against Utah's offensive line

"They're good up front. Number 58 [Gary Smith III], I believe is the number of their best interior guy — really good [defensive] tackle and UCLA, they're gonna have big, strong, athletic guys. They always do [and] they always have, ever since we joined the Pac-12, and so they never have a shortage of athletes or physicality.

"It'll be a big challenge for our guys, but again, I stand by that this, on paper, is the best offensive line we've had. We got to go out and prove it, but you got two guys that are hopefully high draft choices, and three seniors inside; I mean, there's no reason why we shouldn't be very solid up front. That's really the the starting point for the offense this year is leaning on that offensive line."

On UCLA's QB Nico Iamaleava and how he compares to Devon Dampier

"First of all, you watch him at Tennessee last year, and he's a playmaker. He can throw the ball, he can run the ball; he's a true dual threat guy. He's a tough runner too. He's not looking for a place to fall down or step out of bounds. He dips his shoulder and has some physicality to his runs — a lot like our guy, Devon. Devon is the is the same way — he rushed for what, over 1,100 or whatever it was last year. Other than stature; Devon is more of a compact guy, thicker, shorter guy, whereas their quarterback is, like I said, 6-foot-6."

"But [Iamaleava], he's impressive. He's got a big arm, and he's a specimen. He looks like Cam Newton's kind of stature. That's what he looks like out there."

On returning to coaching after contemplating retirement

"I wouldn't have come back if I wasn't having the passion for the game and and the energy, because you better have a lot of energy for this job. So no second thoughts whatsoever. I'm excited to get this season going and watch these guys play and see what we can do."