ESPN is beating the bushes to find anything to talk about, this time of year. With their cost issues, they probably have one staffer with a giant team of teenagers & college students writing this stuff.
"Mom, dad… I’ve decided I’m going to become the next Mel Kiper, Jr. It’s my destiny. ESPN AGREES!!! I’m going to be writing for them!!!
The truth is nobody really knows what kind of team they have until they start playing the conference schedule. No team has ever embodied that truth more than the 2023 Colorado Buffalos.
ESPN isn’t the greatest sports media source. The 24/7/365 media cycle simply creates a consumer content void that has to get filled by something. Sometimes it’s entertaining, other times - meh.
At least they’ve been able to keep the “parent company’s” request they wear mouse ears for their coverage and reporting hasn’t happened yet. 
Maybe after a few more of these “water is wet” articles…
How strange is this?
https://twitter.com/caleblohner/status/1787565451158904867?t=WoYJKjOSbKpYNc8MBTjMYg&s=19
Uh, does he even play football? Odd indeed.
He has one job. Run the short yardage corner route, and jump high for the ball.
He is put together. DE? TE?
Manny Hendrix proved athletes can change sports at a high level, but… we’ll see. If Whitt approved, it might amount to something.
With Freddy’s track record of working with non-FB TE candidates - Yassmin - this could be interesting to track.
Sounds like he is going to play tight-end and they mention BBALL too.
Kids these days.
so he is going to play football spring through bowl game and then show up for bb? That will be about as helpful as anything else the team has going at this point.
Tony Gonzales played both. Of course, Manny Hendrix did both too.
These days it kinda unheard of, though. Did Lohner even play football?
That said, KW’s operation wouldn’t have offered him unless they did a rather lengthy testing.
But Manny didn’t play football at Utah, just basketball. Caleb doing both sports in the same year would be a first (at Utah) as far as I know. Maybe Utah baseball plus another sport can claim a player but I can’t think of one right now.
There were a couple of minor players in the 80’s that were football players first, then played basketball once the season ended. Of course, football season ended a lot earlier for us in the 80’s.
Steve Folsom played both for the Utes in the early 80’s.
Yup. Folsom in ‘80-81. Then Darryl Haley did it in ‘81-82.
Brian Rowley was on the basketball team for one year, mostly as a practice player. I think maybe he got in a game or two for meaningless minutes, but I don’t remember for certain.
Bryan Rowley suited up for some basketball games in the 1991-92 season. Football player Dennis Smith (the 2000-2001 version, not the 1986-1989 version) played in a few games for the basketball team too.
He’ll make an amazing linebacker.
Lingering question: Can Cam Rising stay healthy?
Even though Rising is back and recovered from his knee surgery for one last college season, it remains unclear how he will play and react physically to live play and tackling. After the Utes’ spring game – during which he threw for 208 yards and two touchdowns in three series – Rising looked comfortable and said he felt “strong.”
One of Rising’s talents before his surgery was his ability to move out of the pocket and make plays with his feet. He didn’t do too much of that during the spring game, but that dimension of his game is one the Utes will certainly need in the fall. No matter what, Utah will benefit greatly from Rising’s experience and veteran presence on and off the field. Time will tell if and when he can get fully back to that version of himself that helped the Utes secure back-to-back Pac-12 titles. – Uggetti
