Utah coach Kyle Whittingham talks to his workforce throughout observe Aug. 3, 2022, in Salt Lake Metropolis. Expectations are excessive for the defending Pac-12 champs heading into the 2022 season. Hunter Dyke/Utah Athletics
Utah defensive again Clark Phillips III will get fired up throughout 2022 fall camp on the College of Utah in Salt Lake Metropolis. Hunter Dyke, Utah Athletics
Monday morning, whereas Utah was opening Week 2 of fall camp, the primary USA Right now coaches ballot of the season was launched.
The Utes debuted at No. 8 — their highest-ever preseason rating.
After observe, extensive receiver Devaughn Vele was informed by a reporter in regards to the ballot, and the place Utah was ranked.
“I don’t need to communicate for the remainder of the workforce, however me personally, I don’t like to concentrate to that as a result of all of it falls in with moving into our heads an excessive amount of,” he mentioned.
Vele additionally mentioned the workforce’s method to the excessive expectations.
“If we begin seeing these preseason polls and all that stuff and we see that we’re No. 8, you don’t need to have that mentality,” he mentioned. “You don’t need to get too big-headed. So I attempt not to concentrate to that stuff an excessive amount of.”
On the identical time, Vele mentioned he acknowledges that the rating is an indication of respect for this system.
“Don’t get me unsuitable. It’s an honor that they view us as a top-10 workforce. And I consider that we're a top-10 workforce. Shoot, I consider we're a top-five workforce,” he mentioned. “However it’s a type of issues the place we don’t need that to be within the entrance of our thoughts. The entrance of our thoughts must be that Florida recreation. Going 1-0. That’s our weekly aim.”
Utah, the defending Pac-12 champions and the preseason Pac-12 favorites, are the highest-ranked Pac-12 workforce. Oregon checked in at No. 12 and USC landed at No. 15.
How does coach Kyle Whittingham handle the excessive expectations?
“Nicely, you’ve obtained to simply embrace them. They're there. There’s no hiding from them. We meet them head on and perceive that we’re getting lots of nationwide consideration,” he mentioned. “We’ve obtained to be mature sufficient to deal with it and proceed to go about our enterprise the precise approach and never assume that we now have all of the solutions or that we’ve arrived. However nonetheless perceive that we do have excessive expectations with this soccer workforce this season.”
Utah defensive again Clark Phillips III will get fired up throughout 2022 fall camp on the College of Utah in Salt Lake Metropolis.
Hunter Dyke, Utah Athletics