The Runnin’ Utes take a bit of momentum with them into the Pac-12 Tournament this week, after knocking off Colorado in the regular-season finale last Saturday. That game showed off the recent resurgence of Both Gach, who sparked Utah to victory over the Buffaloes. Ute Insider Dirk Facer and Mike Sorensen, as well as special guest Andy Sorensen, dis…

It was another disappointing road trip for the Runnin’ Utes, who lost two games in the Bay Area and finished winless away from home in Pac-12 play. On the bright side, football is already back for its annual spring fling. There are a lot of holes to fill on the defensive side, and a starting quarterback position up for grabs. Former Utah football s…

It was a mixed bag for the Utes last week, falling to UCLA and knocking off USC. A bright spot for the Utes was the solid play of junior Alfonso Plummer, who has become more of a fixture in the rotation. Ute Insiders Dirk Facer and Jody Genessy talk about Plummer’s expanded role and look forward to this week’s games at Stanford on Wednesday and Cal…

The road difficulties continued for the Runnin’ Utes last week in the Beaver State, where they dropped games to Oregon State and Oregon, keeping them winless away from home during Pac-12 play. So what’s the problem? The ball? (A different brand ball is used on the road than when they are at home). Youth? (Fifteen of their 17 players are underclassm…

Ute Insider Dirk Facer welcomes longtime Deseret News columnist Lee Benson and former Ute sharpshooter Parker Van Dyke into the podcast booth to talk all things Utes. Together, they look at Utah’s win-a-few, lose-a-few season, discuss why winning on the road is such a task in the parity-laden Pac-12, and learn about the next stop on Van Dyke’s hoop…

Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Mike Sorensen and Jody Genessy look back at the Utes’ 0-2 trip to SoCal, where they faded down the stretch against USC and struggled throughout against UCLA. They issue midterm grades heading into the second half of league play — who has surprised and who has disappointed? — and talk about the Utes’ 2020 football recruiting…

A pair of important wins over Washington and Washington State last week helped the Utes climb from the Pac-12 cellar and back into the pack. Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Mike Sorensen and Jody Genessy break down the two victories and point out the catalyst behind them — freshman sensation Rylan Jones. They also discuss Bradlee Anae’s stellar showing in…

After dropping four in a row, the last three in lopsided fashion, the Utah basketball team looks to get back on track this week when Washington (Thursday) and Washington State (Saturday) come to town. Ute Insiders Mike Sorensen and Jody Genessy take a look at the Utes’ recent slide and ahead to this week’s Pac-12 games. Just how important are these…

The final AP Top-25 rankings were released Tuesday, with the Utes checking in at No. 16. After enjoying a high-flying season, which included winning eight straight conference games and earning a second trip to the Pac-12 title game, the season ended with a thud. But how good will the 2020 edition of this team be? Is this now a program that should r…

The Utah basketball team opened Pac-12 play with a solid win over a good Oregon State team and a hard-fought loss to an Oregon squad that was ranked No. 4 in the country. But how good is this Utah team and its league? Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Mike Sorensen and Jody Genessy discuss the subject. They also look back at the Utes’ lopsided defeat to Tex…

Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Mike Sorensen, Jody Genessy and Joe Coles break down the Utah Utes’ Alamo Bowl matchup with the Texas Longhorns. What are the most intriguing storylines? Who or what might be the X-factor? And after the Utes’ disappointing Pac-12 championship game defeat to the Oregon Ducks, will they be toting any emotional baggage with th…

The national early signing period began Wednesday for college football programs around the nation, but the highest-rated player on the Utah Utes’ wish list — Clark Phillips III, a defensive back out of California — didn’t put pen to paper until Thursday morning. Phillips had originally committed to Ohio State but had a late change of heart. Accordi…

The Utes, who entered the Pac-12 Championship Game against Oregon dreaming of the College Football Playoff or, at worst, the Rose Bowl, now find themselves on the outside looking in. Hello, San Antonio. So what went wrong against the Ducks? And how will the Utes respond when they face an unranked 7-5 Texas Longhorns team in the Alamo Bowl? One thin…

All eyes will be on the Utah Utes and Oregon Ducks Friday night in Santa Clara, California. Can Utah stretch its winning streak to nine games and earn one of two things: a berth in the College Football Playoff or its first Rose Bowl invitation? Dirk Facer and rest of the Ute Insiders weigh in on the game and discuss the importance of style points, …

While interest continues to mount about a possible College Football Playoff berth for the Utah football team, Kyle Whittingham and the Utes are maintaining their focus on the task at hand — beating the Colorado Buffaloes and punching their ticket to the Pac-12 championship game. Ute Insiders Dirk Facer and Mike Sorensen take aim at the postseason s…

Ute Insiders Dirk Facer and Jody Genessy are joined by former Ute great Stevenson Sylvester to talk all things Utes, including how this year’s Utah team compares to Sylvester’s 2009 Sugar Bowl squad. The three also look back at the Utes’ big — and easy — win over the UCLA Bruins and talk unsung heroes on this year’s team. Lastly, they discuss the U…

Fresh off bye weeks, Utah and UCLA return to the field Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium, both looking to claim the driver’s seat in the Pac-12 South. Ute Insiders Dirk Facer and Jody Genessy are joined by longtime Deseret News columnist Lee Benson to break down the game. The No. 8-ranked Utes are heavy favorites, while the Bruins, winners of three s…

Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley continued to shine during the Utes’ victory over Washington in Seattle. Remaining on the Utes’ schedule are UCLA, winner of three straight and on deck for the Utes, Arizona and Colorado. Ute Insiders Dirk Facer and Mike Sorensen break down the Pac-12 South race and discuss College Football Playoff possibilities. They …

The Ute Insiders look back at Utah’s 35-0 win over the Cal Golden Bears and ahead to this weekend’s showdown on the road against the Washington Huskies. Is this the most important game remaining on the Utes’ schedule? They also break down the Pac-12 race in general, and how this year’s defense stacks up against other stellar Ute defenses in school …

The Utes’ defense stuck a fork in the ASU Sun Devils Saturday afternoon in a game that featured Zack Moss breaking the Utes’ all-time rushing record and three different Utah QBs taking snaps. This week, the Utes return to Rice-Eccles Stadium to take on a Cal team that has dropped three straight contests after opening the season 4-0. Ute Insiders Di…

The No. 15-ranked Utes return to action Saturday against Oregon State in Corvallis, looking to build on the momentum gained after their convincing victory over Washington State. Utah hopes to have Zack Moss, who has been nursing an injured shoulder, back in the lineup. OSU, meanwhile, is coming off a big win over UCLA in Pasadena. Ute Insiders Dirk…

The Utah football team bounced back in convincing fashion against the normally potent Washington State Cougars, handling them with ease on a soggy Saturday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The Utes did so without the services of Britain Covey, who is considering redshirting this year as he continues to play himself back into form. The Ute Insiders wei…

The banged-up Utah Utes look to get back on track Saturday night when the high-octane Washington State Cougars pay a visit to Rice-Eccles Stadium. Both teams are coming off disappointing losses — the Utes to USC and the Cougars to UCLA. The latter was a late-night thriller in which WSU quarterback Anthony Gordon slung nine TD passes, but it wasn’t …

In this edition of the Ute Insiders podcast, the crew looks back at Utah’s 31-0 win over Idaho State to close out nonconference play and assesses how the 10th-ranked Utes have looked through three games. Other topics include a look-ahead to this weekend’s Pac-12 opener against USC, the play of the offense and, switching gears, some thoughts about t…

In this edition of the Deseret News Ute Insiders podcast, the crew looks back at Utah’s 35-17 triumph over Northern Illinois and talks about what factors that have led to the Utes not giving up any sacks or turnovers through the first two weeks of the season. Other topics discussed include what things Utah can work on as it prepares to face FCS opp…

In this edition of the Deseret News Ute Insiders podcast, the crew reviews Utah’s 30-12 season-opening win at BYU. The Utes recorded their ninth consecutive victory in the rivalry game. Other topics discussed include running back Zack Moss and his quest to become Utah’s all-time leading rusher, as well as the defensive touchdowns scored by Pac-12 P…

It’s Rivalry Week and the Ute Insiders podcast has things covered. Deseret News sports writers Dirk Facer, Mike Sorensen, Brad Rock and Jody Genessy analyze the matchups and put the state’s biggest sporting event in perspective as to its meaning and popularity on a national scale. Who has more to lose this year, the Utes or Cougars? Check out what …

How many games will the 14th-ranked Utes win in 2019? The consensus of the crew on the Deseret News Ute Insiders podcast predicted double-digit victories as the show kicked off its second season. Deseret News sports writers Dirk Facer, Mike Sorensen, Brad Rock and Jody Genessy discussed a variety of topics related to training camp and the upcoming …

With expectations sky high for the 2019 Utes heading into Wednesday’s opening of fall camp, Ute Insiders Dirk Facer and Mike Sorensen discuss year’s team and what coach Kyle Whittingham is doing to keep those expectations in check. Is an undefeated season a realistic goal or a pipe dream? What teams on the schedule present the biggest challenges fo…

With the NFL draft upon us, Ute Insiders Dirk Facer and Trent Wood are joined by Deseret News NFL guru Brandon Judd to discuss how things may play out for Ute hopefuls. They also look at the Utah basketball program, which received a commit from a Texas sharpshooter this week, and visit with Ute receiver Britain Covey. That and more on this week’s e…

Sports writers Dirk Facer and Trent Wood discuss the state of Utah basketball, spring football and other topics on the latest edition of the Deseret News Ute Insiders podcast. Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham is this episode's special guest, discussing this weekend's Red-White Game and a tie-in with the HayesTough Foundation and former Ute safe…

Ute Insiders Dirk Facer and Trent Wood break down the comings and goings from Utah's spring football camp. They also discuss Ute Pro Day, where scouts from all 32 NFL teams will be present, stop watches in tow. Who from this batch of NFL hopefuls will be playing on Sundays? Facer and Wood also talk Ute hoops — men and women — and Utah gymnastics. T…

It was a good week to be football coach Kyle Whittingham, who inked a contract extension that will keep him on Utah's sideline through the 2023 season. Twenty-two wins shy of becoming the Utes’ all-time winningest coach, Whittingham looks to guide the Utes to a successful defense of their Pac-12 South division title. Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Brad R…

After splitting games with the Arizona schools last week, the Utes sit at 8-5 in league play, tied for third in the Pac-12 standings with five games remaining. Insiders Dirk Facer, Mike Sorensen and Trent Wood discuss what the Utes will need to do down the stretch to snag one of the four coveted first-round byes in the conference tournament. They a…

With the Utah men's basketball team in the midst of a win-a-few-lose-a-few season, and open seats aplenty in the Huntsman Center, Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Mike Sorensen and Trent Wood take a look at the Ute basketball program, where it’s been and where it is. Are today’s attendance figures due to the product on the floor or just a product of the ti…

Win a few, lose a few, that’s the recipe for a .500 season. Just ask the Utah men’s basketball team. But with the Utes coming off an easy win over Colorado at home and with road games at Stanford (Thursday) and Cal (Saturday) — both winnable games — a successful trip could bode well for a young team still trying to find itself. Meanwhile, the Ute w…

Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Mike Sorensen and Trent Wood tackle a variety of topics on this week’s Ute Insiders podcast. Among them: • Will Utah be the clear favorite to win the Pac-12 South title next fall? • Who will be the Utes’ new offensive coordinator? • Was last week’s strong showing in Arizona a sign of things to come for Larry Krystkowiak’s s…

Recruiting specialists Brandon Gurney and Ryan McDonald take a look at how the Utah football team fared during December’s early signing period. Other than losing out on prized recruit Jayden Daniels, who ended up signing with Arizona State, did the Utes get their guys? What holes are left to fill before February’s signing day arrives? They’ll also …

Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Mike Sorensen and Brad Rock take a look at this year’s early Utah football commits. Is there a ringer in the bunch? They also discuss what’s ailing the Utah men’s basketball team and the early success of the undefeated Utah women’s team. Utah athletic director Mark Harlan talks about a variety of topics in an extensive inte…

Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Amy Donaldson and Mike Sorensen look back at the Utes’ 10-3 loss to the Washington Huskies in the Pac-12 championship game. The Utah defense did its part; the offense, well, not so much. They also look ahead to the Utes’ Holiday Bowl matchup with Northwestern, which should be a good one, and talk college basketball, with th…

With Friday’s Pac-12 championship game next on tap, the Utes had little time to savor their dramatic comeback victory over BYU. Washington, the Utes’ opponent Friday, handed Utah a 21-7 defeat back on Sept. 15 at Rice-Eccles Stadium. What will the Utes need to do this time out to defeat the Huskies and earn that coveted Rose Bowl berth? Who will ne…

One of the biggest upsets in the Utah-BYU football rivalry came in 1988 when quarterback Scott Mitchell led the Utes to an improbable 57-28 victory. Ute Insider Mike Sorensen talks with Mitchell about his big day in ’88 and Mitchell reveals how the Utes were dialed in on the Cougars’ predictable defense. Mitchell also talks about growing up as a BY…

Jamie Whittingham, Lasi Powell and Michelle Holliday join us for a special Rivalry Week episode of the Ute Insiders podcast. They offer us insight into what it's like behind the scenes for college coaches, from what critics don't understand to their favorite aspects of life connected to college sports. This is a rare opportunity to hear from the wo…

From Lee Grosscup to Larry Wilson hookups, to Scott Mitchell, Eric Weddle, Eddie Johnson and more; these Utes cemented their places in U. history with top performances in the Utah-BYU rivalry. Ahead of this year's contest, Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Mike Sorensen and Brad Rock share their favorite recollections through the years. See our website for …

Cougar Insiders Dick Harmon and Jeff Call join Ute Insiders Dirk Facer and Amy Donaldson to talk shop heading into this week’s Big Game at Rice-Eccles Stadium. What do the Utes and Cougars need to do to prevail? What are the most intriguing storylines? How do the two teams measure up on offense, defense, special teams? What are the X-factors? And f…

Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Brad Rock and Mike Sorensen have witnessed many of the most memorable games in the storied Utah-BYU football history. They step into the past to highlight the stars, the key moments and how the fans reacted. No matter when the rivalry game is played — and the Ute Insiders weigh in on that as well — relive some of the best U…

Fresh off its dramatic victory over Oregon, the Utah football team turns its attention to Saturday’s tilt against the Buffaloes in Colorado. Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Amy Donaldson and Trent Wood break down this week’s game and its Pac-12 South ramifications. They also discuss Rice-Eccles Stadium expansion and hear from Utah athletic director Mark H…

Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Amy Donaldson and Trent Wood look back on the Utes’ loss to Arizona State and ahead to Saturday's critical game against the Oregon Ducks. They also discuss freshman quarterback Jason Shelley, who will start in place of the injured Tyler Huntley. Can he lead the Utes to a pair of conference victories down the stretch? They s…

With three conference games remaining, the Utes are the darlings of the Pac-12 South. Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Amy Donaldson and Trent Wood discuss where this year’s team ranks among others during the Kyle Whittingham era. They also look ahead to this week’s tough game against Arizona State in the desert, examine some of the players’ unique pregame…

Ute Insiders Dirk Facer, Mike Sorensen and Trent Wood look back at the Utes' impressive victory over Pac-12 South foe USC. They also break down the Utes' impressive three-game run and look ahead to Utah's Friday Night Lights tilt at UCLA. Is there any cause for concern against the underperforming Bruins? Facer catches up with longtime University of…