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Utah senior linebacker Chad Manis should be back in the lineup for the Utes Saturday against San Diego State after missing the last two games with an ankle injury.

His presence couldn't come at a better time for the Utes physically and perhaps mentally.

The Utes are down one linebacker since J.J. Williams, who started for the first time this year against Notre Dame, re-injured his foot and is out for the season.

Manis is also a respected leader among the Utes and could give the Utes a much-needed lift in that area after the last two losses.

"We are a great team and we stumbled these last two weeks," said Manis, who is tied for sixth on the team with 40 tackles. "I'm just excited to get back on the field and play. Being here for so long, I can take on a little bit of that leadership on defense. I just want to do what I can to help the team, whether it's play one game or one snap."

Manis said there is no reason to panic, the Utes just have to execute better and become more determined as a team.

"This is a players' game," he said. "The coaches can do all they can to put you in the right spot and our coaches do that. It's on us to execute those plays. If we can do that, we can be the team we were in the first eight games."

In the future

The Utes already make signing running backs a priority, with a goal of snagging at least one or two with every recruiting class. But the premature end of sophomore Sausan Shakerin's career due to concussion symptoms has the Utes putting even more emphasis on that spot for their 2011 class.

Shakerin was expected to have the inside track to fill in for departing starters Matt Asiata and Eddie Wide. The Utes will return juniors Shawn Asiata and Tauni Vakapuna and expect freshmen Beau Burton and Lucky Radley to contribute next year, but Whittingham said the Utes want more options.

"We were scheduled to take a couple backs anyway, but somebody has to play sooner than anticipated," he said. "Shak had some experience and has been playing the last couple years; now we have to go to a guy who has no Division I experience."

Whittingham said the Utes would look at the high school and junior college level for a replacement.

"JC or high school, whoever we go after has to have the mindset of playing right away," he said. "It's an attractive offer for whoever that guy might be."

Using playing time as a carrot could help the Utes have an edge in the recruiting war for Bingham's highly touted back, Harvey Langi. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound back has offers from the Utes as well as BYU, Stanford, Colorado and UCLA.

The Utes also have a commitment from Jarrell Oliver, a 5-9, 195-pound running back out of Texas.

Aztecs by the numbers

At 4-2 in the MWC, San Diego State has its best six-game record in the 12-year history of the league. … The Aztecs have scored 21 or more points in 11 consecutive games for the first time since a streak of 14 games from Nov. 25, 1989 to Sept. 14, 1991. … San Diego State already has surpassed its team rushing total from the 2009 season (940) and 2008 season (878) with 1,509 this year.

lwodraska@sltrib.com Twitter: @lyawodraska, @sltributes —

Utah at San Diego State

P Saturday, 8 p.m. MST

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