Utah Utes football: Jan Jorgensen not welcome at U. practice

SALT LAKE CITY — A sports-talk radio reporter was removed from his Utah football first practice on Thursday.

Jan Jorgensen, a former BYU defensive lineman who was hired by 1280 AM in Salt Lake City to co-host a "Red and Blue" program daily, joined his co-host, former Ute captain Kyle Gunther, at practice on Thursday when word came that Jorgensen was not welcome to witness the practice.

According to Jorgensen, Utah media relations specialist Liz Abel approached him and said head coach Kyle Whittingham was not comfortable having him at practice and requested he leave.

However, Abel said the request was her decision.

"Coach Whittingham never asked me to remove Jan Jorgensen from practice," she said. "He was concerned about the capacity in which he was there, and I made the decision to ask Jan to voluntarily leave practice and come back after practice when we conduct the interviews and speak with Coach Whittingham."

Jorgensen returned to the radio station with Gunther, who returned to cover the Ute practice and interview Ute players and staff.

"I'm sure coach Whittingham was doing what he believed was looking out for his team," said Jorgensen.

Contributing: Dirk Facer

e-mail: dharmon@desnews.com