This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Brandon Cox had a good reason to be awake into the early morning hours of Thursday. And it wasn't his playbook.

Cox was anxious for the arrival of his first child, a healthy baby girl.

The new father was beaming Thursday afternoon after practice, talking excitedly about Brooklyn Cox, born at about 2 a.m. back in his hometown of Pasadena, Calif.

If he could have flown there by flapping his arms, Cox looked like he would have. He acknowledged it pained him not to be there for the moment.

"That's probably the hardest part," he said. "But I'm excited, it's the next step of my life. I'm ready to be a dad."

Cox said he anticipated being able to spend time with his daughter during breaks, and he said when she's old enough, she'll come to visit him in Salt Lake City.

The Utes have a small brotherhood of fathers on the team. Cox said "they welcomed me to manhood" without explaining further what any initiation entailed. But he said his teammates were happy for him.

"It's all good," he said. "I'm excited."

Kyle Goonkgoon@sltrib.comTwitter: @kylegoon