From Deseret News archives:
Utes are prepared to face humidity
Conditions were so muggy two weeks ago in a 23-20 overtime loss at Texas Christian that cramps and excessive sweating were commonplace among the Utes.
"It affected me. You can be in absolute fantastic shape, but just playing in humidity is a whole different thing," said offensive lineman Jesse Boone. "It's an obstacle we've got to overcome this week."
Boone is convinced some things cannot be replicated in Utah. The Utes, thus, are heading East on Thursday in hopes of getting acclimated and shaking off jet-lag from the lengthy journey — the football team's longest road trip since going to Florida in 1977.
"The weather in North Carolina is something we'll have to deal with. It is what it is," said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. "As long as we hydrate properly and do the things we need to do preparation-wise, we should be OK."
The forecast temperature in Chapel Hill is expected to be 81 degrees or so around kickoff with maximum humidity around 61 percent — a major improvement, if it holds, from conditions in Fort Worth.
"Hopefully it's not going to be too awful," Whittingham said. "It'll be humid and muggy, but I can't imagine it will be as bad as it was at TCU."
Boone, for one, isn't taking any chances. He's packing an extra pair of cleats and socks to slip into at halftime.
"I'll come prepared this time," he said. "I learned my lesson."
After two or three series in Texas, Boone began to feel the effects of playing in humidity.
"My shoes got to be like they were 12 pounds each because they were so full of water from sweat off my body," Boone said. "I'd take a step and see sweat come out of all the holes in my shoes. I think that's where it really got me. My feet just felt real heavy and my legs got tired."
Running back Quinton Ganther's first trip to a humid region of the country resulted in cramps — first in his calves and eventually in his hamstrings as well.
"In Texas I didn't know what to look forward to. Now I know about the humidity," Ganther said. "So now I know I have to take a lot of salt, eat a lot of bananas and stay hydrated."
Though Ganther was well hydrated for the TCU game, a lack of sodium led to cramps in his legs.
"It was bad. Even my gloves were sweaty. I had to keep wiping my hands off on Brian Johnson's towel," He said. "The field wasn't wet. It's just that everything was sweaty."
As such, Utah's leading rusher is exploring all options this time around.
