Don't get him wrong. Coach Jim Boylen would love to see the Utes play Brigham Young in the annual football rivalry today at Edwards Stadium in Provo. After all, most of his players were pretty excited about it.

But duty calls.

With more than a week between games, Boylen is heading out of town this morning to watch three players the Utes are recruiting in a tournament in California. Meanwhile, assistant coach Jeff Smith is spending a couple of days in Texas to watch signee Chris Hines of Klein Forest High School in Houston and about 20 other players in whom the Utes are interested.

"I have to use the 10 days off to get my team better," Boylen said.

The Utes do not play again until meeting Weber State at the Dee Events Center in Ogden on Wednesday night, and have not played since losing to Santa Clara at home last Monday. In between, Boylen also has watched signees Josh Sharp of Lone Peak High School and Jace Tavita of Brighton play high school games during the week.

Not coincidentally, Provo's Brandon Davies and Kyle Collinsworth -- a junior and a sophomore, respectively -- also were on the court to upset Sharp and teammate Tyler Haws at Lone Peak on Tuesday night. The Utes are keeping an eye on all of them, and Boylen went out of his way to explain to football coach Kyle Whittingham why he would not be attending today's big game.

"I apologized I wasn't going to be there," Boylen said. "But I have to build my program, you know?"