Jordan Wynn's injured shoulder means revising game plan

Quarterback Jordan Wynn walked slowly off the field, guarded by a team official who kept him from answering questions about the seemingly serious shoulder injury he suffered in the Utah Utes' 31-14 loss to Washington at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday.

Moments later, though, his coach said it all.

"It doesn't look good," coach Kyle Whittingham said.

Wynn injured his left shoulder late in the first half against the Huskies — that's not the same shoulder on which he had offseason surgery, at least — knocking him from the Utes' first Pac-12 Conference home game and perhaps significantly longer.

The Utes will evaluate Wynn further on Sunday and Monday, but Whittingham pondered aloud what they will need to do if their two-year starter is "on the shelf for a while" and they have to turn to backup Jon Hays, who joined the team during the summer after Division II Nebraska-Omaha dropped its football program.

"We'll have to modify things and play to his strengths," Whittingham said. "Obviously, the game plan tonight was all for Jordan. But we'll have to take a look at that on Monday and see. There's a chance maybe that Jordan will be able to play, I don't know. I don't want to jump the gun. But right now it doesn't look good."

It's unclear, though, exactly when Wynn was injured.

The junior threw a pass that receiver Dres Anderson caught but fumbled on the Utes' final play of the first half, before running to the locker room alone with about a minute left before halftime.

Whittingham said Wynn's shoulder was "coming out of joint" and grew worse during halftime.

"He couldn't take snaps," Hays said, "so that's when they told me I was going to go in."

Hays did what he could on short notice, but little turned out well. He threw an interception that led to a touchdown on his second pass attempt of the third quarter and later lost a fumble to account for two of the Utes' five turnovers.

"The second half was really disappointing," Hays said. "I put a lot of blame on the offense in the second half on me. I made a few key mistakes. … I just have to have a better week and prepare better, and if I'm the starter next week, then I have to come out and get us a win."

mcl@sltrib.com —

Utah quarterback comparison

Comp-Att Yds TD Int

Jordan Wynn 12-17 149 1 1

Jon Hays 10-16 156 1 1