Kyle Whittingham Announces Big Season Ending Injury Update for Utah

3-1 through four games, and now Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham is set to step foot into Morgantown, West Virginia, on September 28. But his player roster doesn’t seem to be able to help him improve his win column, as he’ll be missing the dynamic freshman starter at slot for the whole calendar.

Coach Whittingham revealed that his promising freshman tight end is done for the year, a gut punch for the Utes. Hunter Andrews, the 6’3”, 235 lbs out of Magnolia, had already flashed plenty of upside with 10 catches for 65 yards, showing poise and polish beyond his years. Now, that growth hits pause. As if that wasn’t enough, Whittingham hinted that quarterback Devon Dampier may have been banged up against Texas Tech. Talk about a double whammy.

The Utah HC didn’t hold back on how big this loss is, calling Andrews a guy who “did a lot of things for us offensively.” Andrews’ best work came in Utah’s Week 3 win over Wyoming, the type of game where a freshman makes you forget about the “freshman” label altogether. Early in Q3, the Utes strung together an 83-yard drive that showed off just about every piece of the offense. Dampier ripped off a gutsy 23-yard run on third-and-7, NaQuari Rogers capped it with a short touchdown plunge, and right in the middle of it all was Andrews. He caught a 14-yard pass to move the chains, then followed it with a nifty 15-yard run.

The last highlight that stuck was in Q4, when Andrews finished off another scoring drive by slicing through Wyoming’s defense for an 11-yard touchdown run. That possession alone was four carries, 46 yards, with a swagger that made Utah’s sideline come alive. That’s why this injury stings so much.

Kyle Whittingham admitted before the West Virginia presser that replacing Andrews won’t be simple. “Somebody’s going to have to step up and pick up the slack,” he said, adding that the staff is sorting through their options this week. That’s coach-speak for we’re scrambling, but we’ll figure it out. In that loss to Tech, Hunter had only two catches for two yards. Still, losing a player who provided energy, versatility, and a little bit of that “spark plug” factor.

Andrews became the third Utah player to suffer a season-ending injury, joining DB Rabbit Evans and WR Daidren Zipperer. Now the spotlight shifts to the rest of Utah’s depth chart. Who’s ready to take the baton?

Utah Utes’ next men up: JJ Buchanan and Dallen Bentley

If there’s a silver lining to Utah’s tough injury news, it might just be another freshman waiting in the wings. Enter JJ Buchanan, a 6-foot-4, 208-pounder out of Henderson who’s already had his own “welcome to CFB” moment. Against Wyoming, he hauled in his very first career touchdown. A 14-yard grab from Devon Dampier on third down in the fourth quarter, cashing in off a Jackson Bennee interception and long return.

Buchanan, a former four-star who played both sides of the ball in high school, has been flashing that versatility since fall camp. Kyle Whittingham even gushed at a fanfest, saying, “Maybe the biggest surprise — I don’t know if he’s a surprise or a big positive — is JJ Buchanan has really emerged as a playmaker on offense… really a tremendous athlete.”

Meanwhile, Dallen Bentley, the Utah senior tight end, is also a good prospect to lean on. He has stuck with the Utes since 2023 and has made 20 receptions over 207 total yards, averaging 10.4 catches per game so far. Before the 2025 season began, the Utes HC already claimed what he expects from Bentley, based on his practice performances: “Dallen Bentley played his best football this past spring. He’s a prototypical in-line tight end. He can do it all, he can block, he can catch, and he will be a guy that is a big part of our offense this fall.”