Month: January 2026

The Utah Utes football program has been on the wrong end in recent days of a player recently signing only to change his mind and sign with another school, but the Utes have now flipped the script.

On Sunday, defensive end Nicholas Igwe announced on social media that he has committed to Utah, a decision that comes just six days after he signed with Boise State.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, Igwe will join the Utes by way of Kilgore College in Texas, where he played one season before entering the transfer portal and signing with Boise State last Monday.

Igwe is originally from Houston, which is about three hours south of Kilgore.

In his lone season at Kilgore, Igwe tallied 35 tackles (27 solo, eight assisted), 2.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.

Although the TCU Horned Frogs lost by just three points, it may have been their ugliest defeat of the season, even more discouraging than their season-opening loss to New Orleans. The Utah Utes, widely regarded as the Big 12’s weakest team, handed TCU an 82–79 wire-to-wire loss.

The contest began in disastrous fashion for the Horned Frogs, as it took more than six minutes for TCU to score. Utah opened the Big 12 battle on a 14–0 run before a Jase Posey dunk finally ended the drought. A Brock Harding three-pointer within the next minute gave TCU some life, but it was short-lived. The Utes answered on the next possession and maintained a double-digit lead for much of the first half.

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TCU finally began to chip away at Utah’s lead around the five-minute mark. Trailing 31–18, the Horned Frogs went on a 12–4 run to cut the deficit to five as halftime approached. However, Utah scored the final three points of the half to take an eight-point advantage into the intermission.

Unlike the first half, TCU opened the second strong. David Punch scored the first five points of the frame to cut Utah’s lead to three. After a Josh Hayes free throw and a Jayden Pierre layup, both teams went scoreless for more than three minutes until Tanner Toolson ended the drought with a game-tying layup at 39.

Utah then seized momentum, scoring seven straight points to regain control. The Utes held the lead for the remainder of the half, going up four at the 10-minute mark and maintaining that margin as the clock dipped under five minutes. TCU later trimmed the deficit to two, but a back-and-forth stretch followed. Utah finally created separation when Pierre was whistled for a shooting foul on a Don McHenry three with 2:12 remaining, pushing the lead to 76–68.

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TCU made a final push in the closing seconds. Micah Robinson knocked down a three to pull the Frogs within two with 21 seconds left. Utah responded by hitting two free throws, but Punch answered with a dunk to keep TCU alive. After Utah split another trip to the line, the Frogs had a chance to tie on the final possession. Toolson grabbed the rebound, pushed the pace, and found Robinson in the corner for an open look. The sophomore’s shot grazed the rim, sealing an 82–79 Utah victory.

TCU shot 50.0 percent from the field, buoyed by finishing the game 13-of-14 from the floor, but allowed Utah to shoot 50.8 percent overall and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc. The Horned Frogs knocked down just four three-pointers, scoring 52 points in the paint and 15 from the free-throw line.

Punch led the Frogs with 22 points and six rebounds. Robinson added 14 points, four rebounds, and five assists, while Toolson and Jase Posey combined for 17 points off the bench. Utah’s balanced attack was paced by Terrence Brown, who scored 26 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Three other Utes starters reached double figures, including Keanu Dawes, who posted a 10-point, 14-rebound double-double.

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The Horned Frogs will return to Fort Worth to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Tuesday, January 20, at 7:00 p.m. CT.

The Utah Jazz were extremely successful in their tank lost to the Dallas Mavericks for the second time in a row 120-138.

In the Mavericks’ meaningless win, they showed that their depth is overall stronger than that of the Utah Jazz. Their reward? They jump two spots in the lottery standings and are closer to the play-in than they are to a top draft pick. Dallas now finds itself in a three-way tie with Milwaukee and Memphis, and is close to falling to 11th.

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For Utah, they are now just two games up on the Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings. The Kings, who have won four games in a row, are on their way to passing up Utah with Domantas Sabonis coming back soon. Brooklyn is winning more than they want behind the play of Michael Porter Jr., and we’re also seeing Indiana win some more games. Finally, the New Orleans Pelicans have no reason to tank because they don’t own their pick and are definitely going to win some games this season, they don’t want to. Utah would be exceptionally successful if it lost all three of its upcoming games against the Pelicans.

But how about the game that they played today?

Utah lost for a few reasons. One, they have one of the youngest rosters in history playing, and they’re also in the midst of a brutal road trip. It’s not surprising they struggled, and that’s perfectly fine. Games like this show who is worth investing in and who may not have what it takes, for now.

Keyonte George continues to show that he’s a future star for the Jazz. In the third quarter, he was 6/6 and exploded to finish with 29 points and 6 assists. George is proving to be a core part of the future and a player you can depend on to finish games. What’s exciting is that he will likely continue to improve. And what happens when the Jazz add even more talent? Does that open up even more room for him? He has a chance to be really special next year as the Jazz will be going for the playoffs.

We’re also seeing some exciting stuff from Cody Williams, who is turning into a legitimate rotation player and potential starter for Utah. Williams had 11 points (5/8 FG, 1/2 3PT), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal in 27 minutes. The difference in Cody Williams is night and day from last season and even from a month or two ago. He plays with force on the offensive end and provides great length and athleticism on the defensive end. He’s also shooting the ball well from three recently, which is a great sign, even if it is on a small sample size. It’s something to watch as the season goes along, but Utah is looking like they drafted a good one in Cody Williams.

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Brice Sensabaugh continued his latest scoring flurry with 25. He only shot 1/7 from three, but was 10/20 from the field. It’s nice that Sensabaugh can get this type of scoring when the Jazz need it, but it’s not translating to wins. Somehow, Sensabaugh has to figure out how to involve his teammates more and not just end up shooting it, no matter what is happening in the possession. That said, this scoring is a nice sign for the future, even if that future is a potential bucket getter off the bench.

Jazz fans have to be excited about the incremental steps that Ace Bailey is making. He had 18 points in this one with 8 rebounds and 1 assist. He is playing within the flow of the game and getting these points regularly. At some point in his career, he’s going to figure out his driving gam,e and it’s going to take him to another level. For now, we can be excited about all the small things he does, including the defense and the ball movement. Ace Bailey was a great pick.

It continues to be a little bit of a problem with what we’re seeing from Taylor Hendricks and Kyle Filipowski but for different reasons. Filipowski continues to be a pretty terrible defender and is allowing an insane rate of scoring at the rim. He does put up numbers, but it’s fair to ask if what he does on the offensive end outweighs what’s given up on defense. Taylor Hendricks is looking extremely slow. It’s probably related to the injury, and he needs grace, but it doesn’t look good right now. He doesn’t have the same quickness he had before and you can only hope it comes back. Right now, each minute is good because it must help his recovery, but it doesn’t help with winning games. It makes things tough for Will Hardy, who likely wants to allow some development, but things aren’t going very well while he’s on the floor. Let’s hope we start seeing him make steps towards becoming a rotation player. The benefit of what the Jazz are doing now is that it allows him to do that.

TCU men’s basketball dropped its fourth straight game as the Horned Frogs’ comeback attempt in Utah came up short in an 82-79 loss to the Utes on Saturday afternoon.

It was a disappointing showing for the Horned Frogs (11-7, 1-4) as they picked up a bad loss for their NCAA Tournament resume. The Utes (9-9, 1-4) had been winless in Big 12 play before Saturday.

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Despite trailing by as many as 14 in the first half, TCU had a chance to pull off a stunner late as a three-point play by Xavier Edmonds cut the Horned Frogs’ deficit to 69-67 with 3:23 remaining.

But the Horned Frogs made a number of mistakes down the stretch, including giving up an offensive rebound for a bucket and Jayden Pierre fouling Utah’s Don Henry while he was attempting a 3-pointer.

Henry would make all three free throws to put Utah up 76-68 with 2:12 remaining. TCU had one more chance to make a run after David Punch cut the deficit to 76-72 with 1:45 remaining.

However, after forcing a missed shot on the other end, Pierre was called for another foul while boxing out Kendyl Sanders, leading to two free throws. Sanders only made one, but the Utes got the offensive rebound and were able to work more clock.

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Despite the miscues, TCU had two final shots to send it to overtime, but Micah Robinson’s 3-point shot from the corner fell short. With 0.3 seconds remaining, Tanner Toolson was able to get off a game-tying attempt, but his shot also fell short.

The inability to get stops late proved to be the Horned Frogs’ downfall as TCU made 12 straight field goals in the final 10 minutes of the game. However, every time the Horned Frogs would get within a possession or two, the defense would give up a basket to the Utes.

TCU faces a must-win game against Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Schollmaier Arena.

Here are three more takeaways from Saturday’s game:

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3-point shooting woes

It’s been a struggle offensively for Utah this season, but one thing the Utes have consistently done well is knock down their shots from 3-point range. The Utes entered Saturday making 36% of their 3s — top 80 in the nation — and that outside shooting prowess played a big part in TCU trailing most of the afternoon.

The Utes knocked down nine 3-pointers compared to just four for the Horned Frogs, with Utah guard Terrence Brown dealing most of the damage. While a prolific scorer, Brown had struggled this season from behind the arc as he shot less than 29% from 3 entering the contest. Those struggles disappeared against TCU as he made four of his first five 3-pointers while scoring 26 points.

The fourth was his biggest one as it gave Utah a 58-55 lead after TCU fought to tie the game. Utah finished shooting 37.5% (9 of 24) from 3 while TCU shot only 26.7% (4 of 15).

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Punch bounces back

Punch was motivated to have a bounce-back game against Utah after BYU held him to seven points in Wednesday night’s defeat. It was the first time since Nov. 19 that the sophomore forward was held under 10 points and was a major reason the Horned Frogs were unsuccessful in pulling off the upset.

Punch got off to another slow start with four points in the first half, but came out with an aggressive mindset in the second to help the Horned Frogs get back into the game. Punch scored TCU’s first five points in the second to cut the deficit to 38-35 with 18:32 remaining. Punch would come up with another big basket in the midst of a 6-0 run by TCU that tied the game at 53 with exactly nine minutes remaining.

Punch was dominant down the stretch, finishing with 22 points, but it wasn’t enough to snap TCU’s losing streak.

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Lackluster start

The Horned Frogs put themselves in a hole with one of their worst offensive stretches of the season in the opening six minutes against Utah. The Utes surged to a 14-0 lead as TCU missed its first nine shots from the field. While the Horned Frogs were struggling to generate clean looks, offense came easy to Utah early as the Utes thrived in transition.

Utah also was dialed in from 3-point range early with back-to-back 3s. TCU didn’t score until the 13:52 mark, when Jace Posey got in transition to deliver the Horned Frogs their first points. The Utes would take a 16-2 lead before TCU’s offense finally woke up.

The Horned Frogs spent the rest of the first half trying to whittle down a double-digit deficit and were successful as TCU only trailed 38-30 despite shooting 39% from the field. In the end, falling behind 14 points was too much to overcome.

As Utah gets ready to say goodbye to the Sundance Film Festival, the movie professionals who attend America’s preeminent showcase for independent film are preparing to say farewell to the town where it has all happened for four decades.

With the festival set to leave Utah after the 2026 run, Jan. 22-Feb. 1, The Salt Lake Tribune talked to nine people drawn to Park City to show their movies or make deals on other people’s films. They shared stories of wild audience reactions, influential movies, odd celebrity encounters and other moments that changed their lives.

‘I heard someone gasp’

Josephine Decker directed two movies that debuted at Sundance: The 2018 backstage drama “Madeline’s Madeline,” and 2020 film “Shirley,” which starred Elisabeth Moss as the author Shirley Jackson. She is returning to Sundance as the director of “Chasing Summer,” a comedy starring and written by comedian Iliza Shlesinger.

Decker: [“Madeline’s Madeline”] was just one of those movies that I thought four people were ever going to see. It was a very indie movie about experimental theater. … The beginning sequence is really very beautiful. Like, the first five minutes of the film play, and then there’s the opening title. I’ll never forget the feeling of my blood in my body, sitting there watching it, [and thinking] “I hope they like it.”

[In the first screening,] when it landed on the title, I heard someone behind me gasp. It had already impacted them, to the point where they gasped. … To have such a visceral, tangible feeling of how the audience receives your work was so magical.

I also met my partner, [filmmaker Malik Vitthal], at Sundance, and we have two kids now. … We met at a party [in 2011], and then he invited me and [another actress] to his house for dinner, and we went. … Then, three years later, we both had films on the festival circuit. … And we hung out one night [at American Film Institute] and nothing happened. I was, like, ‘I think this guy’s into me.’ And he [said], “I have a place to stay at Sundance. Do you want to stay with me?” I was, like, “I wonder what kind of invite this is.”

It was one of those lodge places where it’s like a hotel room but it’s bigger than anyone’s house, and [a friend of his] had given it to him for free. So he had 25 friends there, people on sofas and couches and multiple bedrooms. … He was really just sharing the wealth of that amazing place. We just stayed there together, and it took him a while to make a move. … We actually celebrated our 10-year anniversary at Sundance last year.

‘You just felt the energy’

Maryam Keshavarz won the Audience Award in Sundance’s U.S. Dramatic competition twice, both for movies about queer women of Iranian heritage: The drama “Circumstance” in 2011, and the screwball comedy “The Persian Version” in 2023. She’s one of the producers on this year’s “The Friend’s House Is Here,” co-directed by her brother Hossein Keshavarz, about two women in Tehran’s underground art scene.

Keshavarz: [In 2007,] I went to the winter [screenwriters] lab, and as part of that, they gave us a pass to go see movies [at the festival]. … The first thing I saw there was Joachim Trier’s movie — now he has “Sentimental Value,” but his first film was called “Reprise.” It really affected me, that movie. It was a big influence when I made my first film, [“Circumstance”].

That was the same year as [the Irish movie] “Once.” I was there with my fellow lab people, and they were pooh-poohing it. They were, like, “There’s barely a narrative.” I said, “No, I just saw it at the premiere. This movie is really special. I think it has something.” And it ended up being put on Broadway. … You just felt the energy. Like, my God, this is such an exciting place to be.

We had no idea if anybody would like [“Circumstance”]. I had been spending so many years trying to make the film, and then we had to smuggle the film out [of] the Middle East. … It was like a dream come true. We had all these offers for theatrical [distribution], we sold the European rights. … Then the people stood up and we had a standing ovation. I was, like, “Oh my God, did they get this movie?” It kind of blew my mind.

It always was definitely very special to be cut off from the world [in Park City]. … but over the years, it’s become so hard for a filmmaker to afford Park City. [With “The Persian Version,”] I had a film in competition, we had a decent amount of money to come to Sundance, and I had to literally share my bed with somebody. … It’s become almost impossible for artists to attend. … It’s a beautiful town, but I’m super-excited to go to where Sundance is moving, to a place that’s more amenable to artists.

Dancing with a rock star

Annie Roney grew up in Utah, and has attended the Sundance Film Festival since 1992. In 2000, she founded Roco Films, a global documentary distribution company, and is its CEO.

Roney: The year Barack Obama got inaugurated [in 2009], I was looking for a documentary filmmaker, and his film was [at Sundance] that year, and they were throwing a party on Main Street. … There was a DJ, and there was dancing, which at Sundance normally isn’t the thing. So right away I’m, like, “This is kind of a different Sundance vibe.

I had my back turned to the dance floor and I’m talking to someone, when all of a sudden some stranger grabbed my shoulders and turned me around. I turn around and I see Sting standing there with a circle around him, and he’s like, “Do you want to dance?” As someone who loves to dance, I had no idea this moment was coming. … It was one dance, then it was two, then it was three. I thought, “This is great.” I mean, there’s all these people who would love to dance with him.

At one point, I looked up, and Paris Hilton, who was in a sequined dress and stiletto heels, stepped on my foot and moved in. I think [he had] one or two dances with her, then came back to dance with me.

I had started that day at 8 a.m., and now it’s close to midnight, and I had to get back to my condo. That was a classic Sundance experience — like an unexpected, super-fun, enjoyable experience.

‘This postage stamp of a town’

Joe Plummer is the president of Wavelength, a production company that has made or represented such Sundance Film Festival titles as “32 Sounds,” “Feels Good Man,” “Knock Down the House,” “Cusp,” “Where’s My Roy Cohn?,” “Selah and the Spades” and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”

Plummer: My first Sundance [in 2014], I didn’t know where anything was, I didn’t know who anyone was, I didn’t know where I was supposed to be. I didn’t know what was going on half the time. And I had an absolutely wonderful time sleuthing all of that out.

I ended up at quite a few Slamdance [screenings] by mistake. [The Slamdance Film Festival, Sundance’s upstart rival, started in 1995; it left Utah for California in 2024.] I remember seeing a lot of short films that I was super-excited about. I remember, perhaps more ignominiously, [now-disgraced studio chief] Harvey Weinstein traipsing down Main Street with his phalanx of toadies around him, [working] their various cellphones and shouting at people.

But I remember the town more than any of the titles I saw in those early days. I just remember being mystified as to how all these people had managed to get jammed into this postage stamp of a town.

Now, all these years later, I know where everything is, and I know most of the people who are there. And it’s wonderful for the exact opposite reason, which is that it has a familiar homecoming feel.

‘Can I bring croissants?’

Julie Christeas is a film producer and the founder and CEO of Tandem Pictures. She and her company have brought such films to Sundance as “The Sleepwalker” in 2014, “The Eyes of My Mother” in 2016 and “Black Bear” in 2020. This year, Christeas is representing “Run Amok,” writer-director NB Mager’s comedy-drama about a student staging a musical about a high school shooting.

Christeas: When we were ready to submit [our first film, “The Sleepwalker”] to film festivals, we were very nervous about sharing [online] links, very nervous about people watching anything on a form that wasn’t a movie theater. I flew to Park City with … DCPs [hard drives for movie theaters] as luggage on my lap. I got to the theater, and I was like, “Can I bring croissants to anyone? Need a coffee?’ And [the festival’s then-director] John Cooper and [programming director] Kim Yutani said, ”Absolutely not. Just leave the movie and go away.” You can’t influence anyone.

The feeling of Park City, what it wants to be, is this really intimate place where a first-time director and Guillermo Del Toro are walking down Main Street together. You have the opportunity to meet the very artists who inspired your work to begin with. Or you’re standing in line for any given movie and starting a conversation with someone who might wind up being your cinematographer or your production designer, or a chum that you’ll have for a long time. Park City itself does play a role there.

‘This is your lucky day’

Uri Singer is a producer who has premiered three movies at Sundance: 2015’s “Experimenter,” a historical drama about psychologist Stanley Milgram (Peter Sarsgaard); 2017’s “Marjorie Prime,” about a widow (Lois Smith) who gets a hologram of her deceased husband (Jon Hamm); and 2020’s “Tesla,” about the inventor Nikola Tesla (Ethan Hawke).

Park City is part of Sundance. Main Street, you can’t duplicate that. … Because it’s cold, you don’t have dresses and gowns. … It’s kind of democratizing. Everybody feels very natural. It’s the merit, not the show, not the pretentious red carpets and stuff like that.

“We were at the Netflix breakfast [in 2020], and it was crowded. Nobody could find a seat. There was this woman, and I said you could sit here. … I said, ‘Well, it’s no problem. It’s a table for four.’ She said, ‘How is your Sundance?’ Then she said, ‘I’m trying to get tickets to this movie, but they’re impossible to get. It premieres tonight. It’s “Tesla.” I said, “Well, you know, this is your lucky day. … I’m the producer and I have a few tickets for a rainy day, and it’s snowing, so I’ll give you a ticket.” And she said, “Oh my God, are you serious?”

She said she was from the Austrian Film Commission. I said, “I used to have an Austrian passport, but it expired, and then I couldn’t get a new one.” … She said, “Let me take a look at that when I get back.” To make a long story short, I have an Austrian passport now, and that’s because of the good deed that I have done.

‘Frozen anxiety’

Liz Sargent brought her short film, “Take Me Home” — which featured her sister Anna, who is cognitively disabled — to the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. This year, she is premiering a feature-length narrative film, also called “Take Me Home,” that also features her sister Anna.

Sargent: [My first screening in 2023] was just, like, frozen anxiety. The whole festival scared me to death. It was my first time at Sundance, and premiering this film was so personal. … [It was] one of the most scary, traumatic events of my life.

[In the short, Anna] put this can of soup in the microwave, and the whole audience gasped. … It was so surprising to me how emotional people were, and how a lot of people saw themselves in the film. … The people who saw it, who had a close relationship with someone with a disability, felt very seen.

In all the orientations, [Sundance organizers are] so great about reminding you about FOMO, and how the party is where you’re at. I don’t know if I believed that my first year, but my second year, when I didn’t have a film there, I was just having a good time and meeting everybody.

I met [ballet star] Misty Copeland and her partner in line at an event. Because I have this dance background, that was a super-strong relationship that came out of nowhere, and they helped connect me to organizations and producers. So, yeah, in that sense, it’s like the FOMO of wherever you are, whoever you talk to, everybody is important.

‘An accidental community’

Valerie Veatch has premiered two documentaries at Sundance: “Me @ the Zoo” in 2012, about video blogger Chris Crocker; and “Love Child” in 2014, about a South Korean couple who used internet addiction as a defense in their baby’s death. Her new film, “Ghost in the Machine,” about the “untold origins” of A.I., is scheduled to premiere at Sundance this year.

Veatch: We had the directors’ introduction call the other day, and several people were, like, “I’m excited. I’m nervous to see people in real life after months of being in [the editing] room all alone.” … There’s something really special about the vulnerability of sharing your work for the first time with an audience, and I will always associate Sundance with that feeling. … I honestly feel goosebumps just talking about it.

I’ll miss Park City, and the specialness of being on a mountaintop, and the specialness of the kind of legacy you feel in the air — like this has been a place where filmmakers have gathered. One of the reasons I was inspired to get into this vein of work is seeing that community of filmmakers we should very much associate with this place.

One time, there was an award ceremony somewhere and everyone was bused in, and then there was a snowstorm. So there were all these vans, and people diving back in. … It was my dad and the curator of [the Museum of Modern Art] at the time, and all these random people squished in a van, trying to battle through the elements. There’s just an accidental community that is spawned by the climate of being on a mountaintop that has been really fun.

Making Park City accessible

Alysa Nahmias directed this year’s Sundance entry, “Cookie Queens,” about the Girl Scouts’ annual cookie sales. She also produced two documentaries by directors with disabilities: Jennifer Brea’s “Unrest,” which premiered in Park City in 2017, and Reid Davenport’s “I Didn’t See You There,” which debuted in the virtual-only 2022 Sundance Film Festival. She started attending Sundance in the early 2010s.

Nahmias: Being able to be around just so many people who are passionate about film, and who’ve been going to the festival for so many years, felt like weaving into something that is a ritual, and becoming part of it, making it your own.

Going there with “Unrest” was also special, because [Jennifer Brea] was a director with a disability. She was a wheelchair user. … We did a lot of accessibility work with the festival, and I’ve seen the festival grow and evolve in that regard, and that’s been really gratifying. And seeing audiences respond to having accessible screenings … is a really positive memory for me.

All of everyone’s memories of Sundance, apart from one or two years when it was online, are centered in [Park City] — on Main Street, and in these incredible theaters. We’re going to be screening “Cookie Queens” at the Eccles, which is such a dream come true. To just know how many incredible films I’ve seen in that theater and at the Library, and then to be able to, as a director, share my work in those spaces does feel like being part of a lineage. There’s kind of a sacredness to that space.

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Former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and Gov. Spencer Cox were discussing disruption — in the economy, in the tech sector, in politics — at a Salt Lake City policy summit Friday when disruption broke out in the audience.

Natalie Gochnour, director of the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, had noted that all three of the state’s research universities were represented on stage: through herself as a University of Utah Ute, through Cox, as a Utah State University Aggie, and by Sinema, who represented Arizona and is a Brigham Young University cougar.

“I get called that a lot,” Sinema joked, eliciting a chuckle from the audience.

Then a man wearing a suit stood up, declaring: “Ladies and gentlemen, I have a confession to make.”

“I am actually having an affair with Kyrsten Sinema,” he continued.

It wasn’t immediately clear to the audience if it was a planned bit. He continued yelling as staff escorted him out of the room.

The panelists tried to get back on track. Then another man stood up, yelling nearly the same thing as the first, but he was much closer to the stage.

He was quickly grabbed and escorted out.

The outburst Friday morning came after the ex-wife of a member of Sinema’s former Senate security team sued her this week, alleging Sinema had seduced her former husband and broken up their marriage. Sinema served one term before leaving office last year.

Utah Highway Patrol troopers on Cox’s security team wrangled both of the men out of the room. Salt Lake City police then responded, and hotel management said they did not want the men on the property, according to a police department spokesperson.

Neither of the men were cited or arrested, although they could be if they return to the hotel, the spokesperson said.

After the first interruption, Sinema and Cox had started talking about policy and today’s strange political and economic moment. Sinema, a former Democrat turned independent, said the word she’d use to describe these times was “disruption” — meaning the usual rules don’t apply anymore, and that can be a good or bad thing.

“I promise I didn’t plan that,” she joked about the incident moments earlier.

After the second interruption, the panel continued for about 30 more minutes without further disruptions.

The discussion, moderated by Gochnour, was the opening keynote of the annual Utah Economic Outlook & Public Policy Summit, hosted by the policy institute, as well as the Utah Chamber, Salt Lake Chamber.

This year’s theme was “Investing in Utah,” and speakers discussed a swath of concerning economic indicators, like slowing job growth, homeownership and birth rates, and a general sense of financial uncertainty and unease.

Still, Phil Dean, the policy institute’s chief economist, said he expected Utah’s economy to continue to outperform the U.S. economy in 2026.

During the panel, Gochnour asked how the business community gathered in the hotel’s ballroom could do more to contribute to the state’s future prosperity.

“I need you to get more involved. I’m going to be very blunt with you all,” Cox said. “You have abandoned us. You have. We do not see the business community on Capitol Hill.”

The governor said it wasn’t that way when he was first elected, more than a decade ago. If these leaders wanted change, or were unhappy with their current representation, Cox said, they need to find people to run for these positions.

“Some of you need to run for the Legislature. We need you. We desperately need you,” Cox said, followed by a round of brief applause.

Near the end of the panel discussion, Sinema was asked how Utah is different from other states and what advice she has for Utah going forward. She said Utahns should continue to rely on their “core set of values,” and what she described as their innate tolerance for others.

Utahns should hold on to that, she said, and stay engaged to elect leaders with collaborative mindsets.

Utah is a ”very, very special place,” with values that she thinks sets the state and its people apart, despite “two just notable exceptions today,” Sinema joked.

“We’re pretty sure,” Cox quipped, “they came from somewhere else.”

Morgan Scalley emphasized during his introductory press conference the importance of retaining as much of the talent Utah had on its 2025 roster once the transfer portal opened in early January.

The ensuing two weeks determined how much Scalley and his first-year staff were determined to stick to their word.

The Utes didn’t by any means go unscathed through the first round of player movement, though as the dust settled and the window to enter the portal closed, they had brought back several key pieces of last season’s 11-2 squad for Scalley’s first go-around at the helm.

Here’s a look at some of the key returners Utah brought back for 2026.

1. Devon Dampier (QB)

Yes, Devon Dampier is entering his final season of college and yes, Utah was able to retain its younger quarterback as well (more on him later). But given Dampier’s importance to the Utes offense last season and the value continuity has in this era of college sports, what he brings to the table on and off the field outweighs the negatives that come with having him under center for just one more season.

Dampier concluded the 2025 campaign with 2,490 passing yards and 24 touchdowns to five interceptions while completing 63.5% of his pass attempts. He finished as Utah’s second-leading rusher with 835 yards and 10 scores on 146 carries, becoming the first Utes quarterback to throw for over 2,000 yards and rush for over 600 in a single season since Alex Smith accomplished the feat in 2004.

With Kevin McGiven taking over play-calling duties as the Utes’ offensive coordinator, it’ll be interesting to see how Dampier adjusts to a new scheme not organized by Jason Beck, now in Michigan with Kyle Whittingham. If McGiven’s system is anything like the one Utah ran in 2025, don’t expect Dampier to endure many growing pains.

2. Jackson Bennee (DB)

Anyone making the case for Jackson Bennee to be No. 1 on this list has plenty of fair points to lean on in their argument; Bennee’s potential and upside as a sophomore in 2026 being the main two reasons why it was crucial for Utah to bring him back for another season.

Bennee snagged four interceptions and defended five passes for a unit that allowed the lowest completion percentage to opposing quarterbacks (49.4%) and the second-fewest pass yards per game (177.8) among Big 12 teams. He also finished second on the team in total tackles with 64 across his 13 games played, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention honors at the end of the regular season.

The 6-foot-2 Holladay, Utah, native’s versatility and budding skillset make him a viable option at either nickel corner or safety in 2026. If he decides to stick around Salt Lake City beyond that, he’d have a shot at becoming the next great defensive back to come through Utah’s doors.

3. Byrd Ficklin (QB)

Keeping Byrd Ficklin in the building could very well prove to be the most important retention move the Utes did for the offensive side of the ball this offseason. Especially if the dynamic signal-caller hangs around after his sophomore year and develops into the Utes’ full-time starter in 2027.

For now, it appears Ficklin is set to share quarterback run plays with Dampier once again, providing Utah with a unique one-two punch from under center and a roadmap for what the future of the team’s quarterback position could look like.

The glimpse Ficklin provided in year one was actually crucial to the Utes offense: he was third on the team in rushing, racking up 513 yards and 10 touchdowns on 61 carries, and was a crisp 21-of-35 through the air for 301 yards and three more scores.

Given Ficklin’s skillset, interest from power conference programs was expected to come his way once the portal opened. Utah’s ability to fend off suitors in the final hours to keep Ficklin says a lot about how much the coaching staff values him and his potential.

4. Daniel Bray (RB)

Daniel Bray has a promising future ahead of him if his freshman season indicated anything about the former three-star recruit’s trajectory. Whether it’s in a career as a running back, wide receiver or some sort of hybrid, he has the traits to be special down the line.

It’ll bode really well for the Utes if they’re able to keep Bray for more than just his sophomore year. Especially if he’s utilized in a similar manner to his freshman self — just more frequently — in McGiven’s offense.

Bray’s speed and elusiveness often provided the Utes with the spark they needed last season, giving them a reliable option to go-to in critical third downs. He was especially effective coming off the edge on jet sweeps, allowing him to get a head of steam before cutting up field if the defense was caught off balance by his pre-snap motion. He finished the season with 272 rushing yards and one touchdown on 40 carries, and had eight receptions for another 67 yards.

Wayshawn Parker is in line to be the No. 1 tailback for the Utes next season, but Bray’s versatility will likely ensure that he sees the field plenty too.

5. Kash Dillon (DE)

Kash Dillon’s re-signing might’ve flown under the radar for some due to all the attention John Henry Daley and Logan Fano rightfully received throughout last season, but the soon-to-be redshirt sophomore’s name will become more familiar to fans as his Utah career progresses.

With Daley off to Michigan via the portal and Fano entering the NFL draft, bringing Dillon back to Salt Lake City felt like a necessary move for the Utes. He appeared in all 13 contests as a redshirt freshman and was productive, recording 35 total tackles while finishing third on the team with 3.5 sacks. He started the final two games of the season against Kansas and Nebraska, gaining valuable experience as he totaled nine tackles in those appearances.

MORE UTAH NEWS & ANALYSIS

On the latest Kevin O’Connor show, O’Connor mentioned that the Utah Jazz “are going to be a team with big interest” in Austin Reaves.

Reaves will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and will draw significant interest leaguewide. So, regardless of whether this is actual intel on the Jazz or just an assumption from O’Connor, it makes sense. For O’Connor to call out the Utah Jazz specifically is interesting. Perhaps this was why the Utah Jazz unfollowed O’Connor on Twitter recently?

Regardless, this is definitely interesting. It also makes sense with Utah’s trajectory. Utah has filled its books with expiring contracts this season, so it has room to make deals this upcoming offseason. Austin Reaves would be a great target with that money. Then, if they are able to bring him over, they can also sign Walker Kessler afterwards and go over the cap. It’s a plan that makes a ton of sense and could lead the Jazz to be major players next season.

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On top of this is whether Utah wins this upcoming lottery. If Utah can add a top-tier prospect and a high-level prospect like Austin Reaves, it could be a massive run for the team.

Also, would there be anything better than getting a player from the Lakers to join the Utah Jazz? This would become maybe the best offseason in team history if this all played out.

Just a few days after entering the transfer portal, former Utah athlete signee Salesi Moa has committed to Michigan.

Moa is a huge pickup for the Wolverins and is currently rated the No. 54 player nationally in the Rivals Industry Ranking.

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“I’m very excited about my decision,” Moa said. “Michigan is a great fit for me and it’s where I feel God was leading me.

“Big 10 football is one of the biggest stages there is and it doesn’t get bigger than playing at the Big House. That’s not a knock at Utah at all, that’s a big stage too but I feel this is the biggest stage there is.”

Moa said he has a strong connection with the Wolverine staff, including new head coach and former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham.

“It’s not just coach Whitt but coach (Jason) Beck (OC) and coach (Micah) Simon (WR coach) too,” Moa said. “I have great relationships with all of those guys and I’m really comfortable with them.

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“Coach Simon is a great receiver coach and I was excited to play for him when I was committed to Utah. Now I’ll have that chance at Michigan so I really feel everything worked out the way it was supposed to.”

Moa said having a chance to play with his older brother Aisea Moa is a big deal for him as well.

“It’s going to be very cool for me,” Moa said. “I’ve never had a chance to play with either of my big brothers so for us to have one year together is going to be great.

“Aisea and Sione played together and now I’ll have that chance too. Our family is very close so this is something we’re all excited about.”

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Moa is a two-way player who said he will start out at receiver but will also play some safety.

“I still plan to play both ways at Michigan,” Moa said. “I’m going to start out at receiver and that’s my favorite position but there is going to be some packages for me at safety too so I’m really excited about that.”