From Deseret News archives:
Utah Utes football: Classroom tests come first for Utes
"It's finals week at the U. and players are busy wrapping things up before devoting full-time attention to the Bowl Championship Series and the Crimson Tide. The academic part of it is first and foremost," said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. "We always work around it. We always put the academics first regardless of the timing of the bowl game."
The Utes had a one-hour lifting session on Monday and will take take Tuesday off. A short practice is scheduled for Wednesday.
With a majority of finals completed by then, practices on Thursday and Friday will get a little heavier.
Of course, Whittingham added, anyone with academic conflicts will be accommodated.
Utah will begin installing its game plan and hand out scouting reports for Alabama on Friday.
A regular practice routine follows. After a morning session on Dec. 23, the players will head their separate ways before reuniting in New Orleans for practice on Dec. 27.
WORD FROM 'BAMA: The Birmingham News reported Monday that Alabama season-ticket holders have purchased all of the 9,975 tickets to the Sugar Bowl that were made available to them. An "overflowing" student lottery will determine who gets 2,100 tickets.
Those sales indicate Alabama will have little trouble moving its allotment of 17,500 tickets (at $125 each) that each team is given. Utah's situation, however, is less clear because of travel expenses and distance.
"Are they willing to travel to New Orleans? We don't know," Jennifer Swanson of TicketsNow.com told the newspaper. "You don't really hear about those fervent Utah fans. Ticket sales can depend on so many things, and that's one factor."
EXTRA POINTS: Utah is the designated visitor in the Sugar Bowl and will wear white ... The Superdome will be just the second indoor venue the Utes have ever played in. The other was the Atlantic City Convention Center, where they defeated West Virginia 32-6 in the 1964 Liberty Bowl ... Senior R.J. Rice's football career will come full circle. He played his first football game as a child in New Orleans.
E-mail: dirk@desnews.com
