With QB Devon Dampier ‘day by day,’ here’s the latest update on Utah football’s quarterback situation
It remains to be seen who will start at quarterback for the Utes this weekend vs. Kansas State.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Utes quarterback Devon Dampier (4) as BYU hosts Utah, NCAA football at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025.
Kyle Whittingham says starting quarterback Devon Dampier’s status is being monitored “day by day.”
But the junior quarterback could still be in line to start for No. 12 Utah’s matchup versus Kansas State at 2 p.m. MST on Saturday in Salt Lake City.
Dampier was clearly limited last weekend in the Utes’ win over Baylor, so much so that the Utes opted to sub in true freshman Byrd Ficklin for Dampier on designed quarterback runs in the second half versus the Bears. Ficklin finished with 166 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the win.
“Day by day is how we’re taking it,” Whittingham said of Dampier’s health. “That’s the best answer I can give you. If I knew any more than that, I would share most of that with you — or some of that — but it’s just a situation where Devon has a lot of physicality in his game with all the running he does and scrambling from the pocket, in addition to the design QB runs. It takes a physical toll on him.
“But he’s a tough kid. He loves it. He loves running the football, and he’s been effective at it. So we’ll just see what happens. But certainly, there is a scenario where you could see Byrd [start].”
Dampier was not listed on the Utes’ first availability report of the week.
Whittingham also noted that he doesn’t think Dampier’s injury will leave him unable to play for the rest of the season, either. The Utes currently have two games remaining on their regular-season schedule.
Utah is also still in the hunt for a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff. Even if the Utes fall short of that goal, they will still have a bowl game to play this year.
“[The answer is] no, as it stands right now,” Whittingham said of Dampier’s injury potentially being season-ending. “But you have to be able to function, and he gets pretty sore and pretty beat up, as I mentioned.
“We don’t feel that that he’s been put in harm’s way anymore than the next guy, as far as long term and that type of thing.”
