Utah meets the press, set to begin 2-a-days

Nothing like a little drama to spice up Media Day.

Hours before Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham and several players met with reporters at the Smith Center, highly touted tailback Matt Asiata injured his left foot in the Utes' first practice with full pads.

Asiata suffered the injury on a blocking drill. While pushing off, he felt a little pop.

"Just a little tweak," Asiata said immediately after practice. "It's nothing much. I'll be back."

Turns out, he was right.

A precautionary X-ray later in day confirmed a mild sprain. No fractures were found and Asiata is listed as day-to-day.

The good news was just what Whittingham had hoped to hear when asked about the former Snow College star's condition.

"I talked to him and he said it was something very similar, if not exactly the same, as something he did in high school to the other foot. He missed a few days and was back in action." Whittingham said. "If in fact it's that, we are good to go. We're taking all the precautionary X-rays, MRIs and that type of thing."

Asiata, a junior college All-American in 2006, is expected to become Utah's starting tailback. He rushed for 1,365 yards and 15 touchdowns last season.

Though his first full-pad practice with the Utes was cut short, Asiata got enough of a taste to know he's playing at a higher level.

"It's pretty vicious. Everybody's going at it very hard, just making each other work harder — working as a team," Asiata said. "It's way different. The speed and everyone coming together as family. That's a different part.

"I'm happy to be here," he added. "Everyone has shown me a lot of respect coming out from JC and all that stuff. I'm just real happy to be here."

Utah's final tune-up before the start of two-a-days pleased Whittingham.

"It was very good, a very spirited practice — good competition," he said while noting the team got in a little live work in terms of tackling. "I got a chance to take a look at some of the new guys, which was a positive situation."

Freshman wide receiver Jereme Brooks and sophomore defensive back R.J. Stanford were among those drawing praise from the coach.

"I've got to see the film to make sure," Whittingham said. "But it looked like things for Day 5 (of camp) looked very crisp."