Utah Utes football notebook: Look out for the new rally 'stache

SALT LAKE CITY — There's a growing sign of team unity up on the hill.

Move aside rally caps and rally monkeys, make room for the "rally 'stache."

Several Utah players and coaches are now sporting growth on their upper lips as the Utes seek a 5-0 finish to the season.

"We felt like we needed a little bit of a change because we started out with the beards and the beards weren't working," senior linebacker Chaz Walker said while discussing the facial hair alterations. "We got our rally 'staches out and hopefully it carries us to victory again."

Utah is 1-0 with the new look.

"Hopefully we can be 5-0," Walker added.

Those sporting moustaches could soon include head coach Kyle Whittingham.

"I've got to get that going. The rally 'staches are in vogue right now and I've got to join the crowd," he said. "I may. We'll see what happens. We'll see how things progress."

When asked if anyone really looks good with a moustache, Whittingham responded that they have their place.

"It's a throwback. It's retro," he said before noting the look accents his "oldies" playlist during practices. "It goes with the music."

GOING BOWLING: Despite being 4-4 overall and 1-4 in Pac-12 play, Whittingham acknowledged that the Utes still have plenty to play for.

"Our primary goal, right now, is obviously to beat Arizona. That's obviously the short-term goal," he explained. "But we want to put the seniors out on a good note, make sure they have a positive experience this year and end on a positive, and that would be getting to a bowl game."

The Utes need two more victories to become bowl eligible. Besides Saturday's game at Arizona, they'll face UCLA and Colorado at home, as well as Washington State on the road.

EXTRA POINTS: The Utah-UCLA game at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Nov. 12 is set for 4:30 p.m. It will be broadcast locally on KJZZ. ... Junior David Rolf, a transfer from Michigan State, has been moved from defensive end to tight end for the remainder of the season. ... The Utes practiced in a variety of weather conditions, including snow flurries, at the stadium on Tuesday.

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