Story thread · 3 reports / 3 sources

‘You can’t just ditch your own family’: Byrd Ficklin expounds on decision to stay at Utah

deseret.com · 1hShare

This article was first published in the Ute Insiders newslett er . Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each Wednesday night. After a great freshman season that saw him become one of the more important figures on Utah’s offense, Ute quarterback Byrd Ficklin had a decision to make. In his true freshman season, Ficklin played a surprising role in Utah’s offense while backing up starting quarterback Devon Dampier. While coach Kyle Whittingham didn’t name him the backup ahead of the season — indeed, before Whittingham called timeout, Isaac Wilson came in during Utah’s season opener after Dampier had to go to the sideline — Ficklin’s play in practice elevated him to the QB2 role and a lot more. Offensive coordinator Jason Beck loved what he saw from the dynamic Ficklin and made him the team’s backup ahead of the team’s second game against Cal Poly, in which Ficklin threw for 53 yards and rushed for 55 yards and two scores in extended second-half run. After that, Beck knew that he

First report: Why Utah QB Byrd Ficklin turned down other Power Four offers to stay with the Utes — sltrib.com, 1d