Utah Utes football notebook: Utes may have 3 featured backs

SALT LAKE CITY — It remains to be seen who'll be the primary Runnin' Ute this fall. The featured running back job is up for grabs and could be shared by as many as three players — Eddie Wide, Matt Asiata and Sausan Shakerin.

"We'll have to sort that out in the fall," said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. "If somebody separates themselves from the pack, then he'll be the featured guy. If they all continue to play at a high level, they'll all three get touches."

Nothing will be determined this spring.

Wide is seeing somewhat limited action for precautionary reasons, and Asiata is still recovering from knee surgery. The situation with the seniors, thus, has given Shakerin an opportunity to show his stuff, and the sophomore is making the most of it.

"I would put Shak right up there with Matt and Eddie," Whittingham said. "He's doing a good job, working hard — just a guy who shows up every single day with the right frame of mind and the right work habits."

The operative word for Shak, he continued, is finish. Finishing spring ball strong would set the stage for a competitive fall camp at running back.

All three players had 100-yard games last season.

Wide, though, was the only one to stay healthy. He earned first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors while becoming just the 10th Utah running back to rush for 1,000 yards in a season — finishing with 1,067 yards, all but 67 coming over the last 10 games.

TAP-TAP: Senior Justin Taplin-Ross continues to draw praise from the coaching staff. He's emerged as the likely starter at strong safety.

"Justin Taplin-Ross has separated himself from the group," Whittingham said. "But after that, there's a wide-open race."

The search for a new starting free safety is ongoing. With Chris Washington sidelined by injury, redshirt freshman Damian Payne and junior Greg Bird are getting most of the reps this spring.

"Both have made great strides," said safeties coach Morgan Scalley.

The task of replacing graduated starters Joe Dale and Robert Johnson, he explained, has created a competition that will likely continue throughout fall camp.

"I like the position group right now," Scalley said. "I'm confident that we're going to be OK at that spot. We'll be fine."