The Allegations

Six former Utah football players who suited up for the Utes between 2020 and 2024 have alleged the program mishandled their injuries, according to The Salt Lake Tribune (reported Aug. 28). Edge rusher Van Fillinger, wide receiver Mycah Pittman, running back Jaylon Glover, tight end Miki Suguturaga, defensive lineman Tevita Fotu and one anonymous player claim they were pressured to return to game action before fully healing — and in some cases say injuries were misdiagnosed.

Fillinger's Story

Fillinger's account is the most detailed. After injuring his leg in a 2022 practice — hearing a "snap" and unable to walk — he says he was diagnosed with an ankle sprain and wore a walking boot all week before an X-ray revealed a season-ending tibia fracture. Returning in 2023, he claims the ankle was "just destroyed," and his doctor recommended six weeks of rest. The Tribune obtained audio of that appointment. Just three weeks later, with Logan Fano tearing his ACL, Fillinger says position coach Lewis Powell asked him to return — and when asked what happened if he didn't play, Fillinger says he was threatened with dismissal.

"He said that I'll be kicked off the team if I don't play," Fillinger said. He played 11 games that season, then needed a second surgery on the ankle.

Same Pattern, Different Players

  • Mycah Pittman: Diagnosed with an ankle sprain in 2024 fall camp with no MRI. Pressure to return was "definitely there." Weeks later, an MRI revealed a partially torn Achilles and high ankle sprain. His father, Michael Pittman: "Utah did what they thought was better for the team's outcome instead of my son's long-term health."
  • Jaylon Glover: Said coaches and the training staff were chronically on different pages: "It was all about, 'We need him back.'"
  • Tevita Fotu: After tearing his MCL, his position coach relayed that "the head man" wanted him to push through — with threats to put someone in front of him or revoke his scholarship. Fotu also says promised NIL money never arrived.

The Responses

Utah Athletics and University of Utah Health said player health is a "top priority" and that the department "follows all University and national guidelines," adding it routinely evaluates its processes. Michigan, where Whittingham is now the head coach, said the former Utah coach and his staff "did not make medical decisions" at Utah and "followed the lead of the medical team." The NCAA has not announced any review.

What This Means for CFB 27

Durability has always been the hidden stat in College Football 27, and this story is a reminder of what it represents. Utah's 2020-24 rosters — among the most physical in the sport, per their identity — produced a string of injury-altered seasons that the game's injury slider only partially captures. In Dynasty mode, the lesson is mechanical: players returning "early" from sim injuries lose progression velocity; the engine rewards patience. And on the card market, injury-clouded players like Fillinger's draft class are chronically undervalued — a buying opportunity if you rate full-health versions. Utah's new-look staff under Morgan Scalley inherits both the talent and the scrutiny.