Welcome to the new Utah Utes daily blog

Here are some quotes from today’s Poinsettia Bowl press conference with University of Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham and new Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo …
Utah’s Whittingham …
… on Utah’s consecutive bowl victories: “It’s a confidence thing. We’re on a little run – six in a row.”
… on bowl successes: “It’s the way our guys prepare. It’s a bowl game is a reward, but it’s also a competitive situation.
… on playing service academy teams like Mountain West Conference peer Air Force and now Navy: “They are tough, disciplined players with a strong work ethic. … You try to match their discipline, you try to match their toughness.”
… on defending the option attack: “We call it the one-eleventh defense – each of our 11 defenders have a job to do. It’s disciplined, assignment-structured football.”
Navy’s Niumatalolo …
… on as a former Hawaii football player and former Hawaii assistant coach, quipping that the Midshipmen may show a different offensive formation in the Poinsettia Bowl: “I’ve been talking to June (Hawaii head coach June Jones), and we’re going to the run-and-shoot.”
… on Navy football and the Naval Academy: “They’re great kids … and Navy is a special place. It goes beyond football. We’re a country at war, we’re a country in conflict. … Some may have to pay the ultimate sacrifice. … Whatever freedoms we have in America, these kids go out and sacrifice to preserve them for us.”
… on how he might compare as a new head coach making his debut for the departed Paul Johnson (now at Georgia Tech): “It’s never been about me, it’s about “us” and “we.” It’s about a program. … If its not broken, then I’m not going to ‘fix’ it.”