Utah Utes football: Senior linebacker corps has high expectations

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's starting linebacking corps doesn't pack a 1-2 punch. It's more like a 1-2-3 wallop.

And an experienced one at that.

Seniors Mike Wright, Stevenson Sylvester and Kepa Gaison, who close out their collegiate careers when the Utes face California in the Poinsettia Bowl, have a combined tally of 191 tackles this season. In the previous campaign, they made 183 stops.

"They've been a very important part of our success, obviously, in a lot of different ways. Not only on the field, but off the field with their leadership and the way they handle themselves and conduct their lives," said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. "All three are high character, quality people that the rest of the team really looks up to."

The trio have bonded and become good friends.

Sylvester said they're more like brothers.

"I love these guys," he explained. "I'll go in and fight with these guys anytime."

The linebackers have engaged in many gridiron battles together. They're part of a graduating class of players who are 39-12 overall.

"We've had a great run. We each have our individual stories on how we got to where we are. I think that helped us play well together," Wright said. "We all just wanted to work hard and get wins for this team. I think that was a big help for us as we played together."

Their journey still has one more stop, Dec. 23 at Qualcomm Stadium.

"It's an honor to play with Kepa and Sly," Wright noted. "We want to finish out the right way."

A Utah victory will extend the nation's longest active bowl streak to nine games. The quest to do so is enhanced by the men in the middle.

"The linebacking spot is the heart of the defense," Whittingham said. "It's where the majority of the calls and adjustments and all that type of thing occur. So having experience there is very valuable."

Sylvester, a first-team All-Mountain West Conference honoree, considers Utah's linebackers proficient in all phases of the game.

"I think we're very talented," he said. "We're smart. We can do it all."

So well, in fact, that Sylvester ranks them as the best in the nation. It's an expectation they use as motivation every season.

"We have a lot of confidence in what we do. We take a lot of pride in what we do on the field," Wright said. "I feel that we can compete with anyone in the nation."

The Sylvester-Wright-Gaison era, though, is coming to an end. Each took different paths to their current roles as starters.

Sylvester has made 37 starts and developed into an NFL prospect.

Wright transferred to Utah from Southern Utah and wound up leading the Utes in tackles over the past two seasons.

Gaison made the most dramatic jump, going from walk-on punter to defensive standout.

Their final game together is bittersweet.