To this day, even after all the tragedy that has transpired, remembering what his wife Joy said that got the whole award-winning backyard barbecue phenomenon started still brings a warm smile to Chris Blatchford’s face. It was 2020. The young couple had just moved into a historic old house in the Salt Lake City Avenues, which they paid a lot more for than the people who first built it in 1896. Joy turned to Chris and, with a grin, said: “This place is kinda hard for us to afford; you need a side hustle, buddy.” She followed that with, “You make really good barbecue; why don’t you sell some of it on Facebook Marketplace?” Chris was all for it, for two reasons: He loved to cook, and he loved Joy. If she said it was a good idea, it had to be a good idea. Neither of them knew the neighborhood sensation they were about to launch. As it happened, the state of Utah, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, had passed legislation that year that made it legal to run a restaurant out of your home, as long as you didn’t hire outside employees and passed inspection. Blatch’s Backyard BBQ, near the corner of I Street and Fourth Avenue, was soon open for business. And, man, was Joy right about her husband’s barbecue. Soon, lines were forming out the door and up the block on the Wednesdays and Fridays they were open for dinner. Then Joy had another suggestion for Chris: make sure their vegan and vegetarian friends had something to eat, too. Chris took on the challenge like Edison figuring out the light bulb. He experimented with so many ingredients, herbs and spices, including 14 different kinds of smoked mushrooms, that by the time he was finished he liked his vegan version better than the meat version. It wasn’t long before it was all he served. Blatch’s Backyard BBQ became Blatch’s Backyard Vegan BBQ. The restaurant won numerous Best of Salt Lake and Best of Utah honors in both the BBQ _and_ the vegan categories. This past August, a national website, “Only in Your State,” wrote this review: “Would you believe that the best barbecue in Utah is plant-based? Before y’all accuse us of blasphemy, saddle up to the counter at Blatch’s BBQ.” But then came the part that brought everything to a screeching halt. The fire was first. On Wednesday, Sept. 3, Chris was getting everything ready for that night’s serving when he walked into the garage to check on the inventory. In his hand was a small Bic lighter. Those lighters can be temperamental, so he decided to see if it worked. At that very moment, due to low blood sugar (Chris is a Type 1 diabetic), he fainted. The lighter worked. It landed on some paper on the floor. Joy, who was at home working in her office, bolted out of her chair when the six propane tanks in the garage exploded. She called 911. The fire truck was there in three minutes and the fire was out in 20 minutes, saving all adjoining houses and properties. But by then the garage and everything in it was destroyed, including a brand new $15,000 commercial smoker, several fridges and freezers, other equipment and inventory, and a 2021 Subaru Outback. Added together, the losses totaled $200,000, and the Blatchfords only had liability insurance. Chris crawled out of the garage, although he still can’t remember how, and escaped with his life. He was rushed to the hospital and treated for third-degree burns. He was still recovering when it was Joy’s turn to go to the hospital. An otherwise robust, healthy, cheerful woman, Joy, who worked as a much-loved administrator at the University of Utah, suffered from hemorrhoids that had caused her to put on several pounds of water weight. In pain and barely able to walk, she finally, at Chris’ insistence, went to the hospital, where she underwent numerous blood transfusions. When she was released, they told her that she seemed to be doing better, that it was going to take some time to get the water weight off, and that she should go to physical therapy and rest. The next day, Thursday, Nov. 20, a week before Thanksgiving, she took a nap and never woke up. She died as Chris was trying to revive her. For Chris, the last month has been pure survival. Trying to make sense out of life. “I don’t want to say it’s destroyed me, but it’s really done a number on me,” he says, “just so much loneliness, so much sadness. Everything’s gone from ‘us, us, us,’ to ‘oh, that chapter is over.’” All he has left that was truly theirs together is their cat Zeus and the backyard barbecue. “The night before (she died), we were making plans on how to expand,” he says. “We always had big, ambitious goals.” It’s why Chris has decided to continue to serve up his barbecue — albeit on a limited basis as he processes his grief — and continue to explore ways to find a full-time location and replace what was lost in the fire. He doesn’t want to stop what Joy got started. “She’s just as much a part of it now as she was before,” he says. “She just doesn’t have as much of a physical presence anymore.” For anyone who would like to help, Chris and Joy’s friends have set up a GoFundMe campaign. It can be accessed at https://gofund.me/6501520d8.

Throughout 2025, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints responded to natural disasters, tragedies and the needs of thousands around the world through donations, support and coordinated efforts with collaborating organizations. Separate from the Church’s donations, members of the Church also donated time and labor in service projects throughout the year. Many of these efforts were coordinated through the Church’s JustServe platform — a free website and app where community organizations list their service needs and where volunteers can find service opportunities around them. Following is a roundup of several of these efforts throughout 2025 to show the reach and impact of the Church’s charitable giving. ## Emergency response in Southern California In response to devastating wildfires in Southern California in January, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints organized emergency support on various levels. _To read the full story, visit TheChurchNews.com._

ORLANDO, Fla. — Barring a last-minute change of heart, it appears that BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill will join former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham’s new staff at Michigan after three years of building the Cougars’ defense into one of the best in the Big 12. If those reports are true — and there’s no reason to believe they aren’t — BYU fans will always have the memory of what Hill’s defense was able to do in the second half of Saturday’s 25-21 win over No. 22 Georgia Tech in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Bolstered by 20,000 or so BYU fans in attendance at Camping World Stadium (overall announced attendance was just over 34,000), the Cougars pitched a shutout in the second half after trailing 21-10 at the break. As a finishing touch that seemingly came right out of a movie script, BYU cornerback Evan Johnson picked off a pass in the end zone to seal the win after having given up a 66-yard bomb to Tech’s Eric Rivers — by way of all-ACC quarterback Haynes King — four plays earlier. “Got beat. That happens at corner,” said the son of former NFL receiver Ron Johnson. “But I was really just thinking about the next play after that. … I got my opportunity to go make a play. Had a play like that at Texas Tech that I didn’t go get. So my only thought in my mind at that moment was to go get that ball, and that is what I did.” Both plays that will go down in BYU bowl lore — Rivers’ catch came on fourth-and-15 from the Tech 17-yard line — were on fourth down. How did head coach Kalani Sitake view the bomb that almost ruined BYU’s bid to get to 12 wins for the first time since 2001? “Obviously, we weren’t excited about it, but Haynes King is a really good player,” Sitake said of the 66-yarder. “I felt like, OK, tough spot, but Evan made the tackle (to stop Rivers from scoring). It is hard to run away from this kid. He made the tackle, and we still had a chance.” What Kyle Whittingham said in his introductory press conference Sunday BYU DC Jay Hill is reportedly joining Kyle Whittingham's staff at Michigan With BYU playing without the heart and soul of its defense — linebacker Jack Kelly — the Cougars looked a bit lost in the first half, and it appeared as if news of Hill’s pending departure was somehow distracting the Cougars. They just didn’t look like themselves, with missed tackles and blown coverages galore. Hill and cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford tried Jayden Dunlap, Tre Alexander, Tayvion Beasley, Mory Bamba and Jonathan Kabeya at the corner opposite Johnson, or at nickel, with limited success. Georgia Tech had 198 yards in the first half, and was gifted a touchdown on another possession when BYU coughed up a kickoff return at the 5. Johnson says the group never lost hope. “Really, no adjustments were made,” he said. “We came out (of halftime) with a lot more physicality, a lot more just want-to. We knew our offense was hot, too, so just getting them the ball was our plan, and we made that happen.” Sitake said the call went out to be more physical, but to also be more fundamentally sound. He said guys were trying to do too much. “We said it is going to hurt a little bit and it is going to require you guys getting to the point of exhaustion,” Sitake said. “You guys saw (Bear Bachmeier) limping in there. It wasn’t like he was playing 100 percent. … I was really proud of the way these guys played and the way that Bear led the offense. It was really fun to watch.” Freshman linebacker Nusi Taumoepeau got his first start, in Kelly’s spot, and forced a fumble, inadvertently kicking the ball out of a receiver’s hands after a catch. Isaiah Glasker recovered it. Taumoepeau, Glasker and sophomore safety Faletau Satuala led the Cougars with six tackles apiece, and senior safety Tanner Wall added five in the final game of a remarkable career that began as a walk-on receiver. Taumoepeau and Tausili Akana put a lot of pressure on King to force the veteran QB to hurry his throws after Rivers’ big catch. “I just liked the reaction we had to the game overall,” Sitake said. “We weren’t hanging our heads when we went down two scores.” It was BYU’s 12th straight win when allowing 24 points or fewer, and improved the program’s bowl record to 19-22-1. Sitake is now 6-2 in bowl games, with close losses to Hawaii and UAB in that stretch and wins over Power Four teams SMU, Colorado and Georgia Tech. It was also BYU’s sixth come-from-behind win of the season. Five of those — Colorado, Arizona, Iowa State, UCF and Georgia Tech — came after BYU trailed by double digits. “We’ve got a lot of love for each other, got a lot of love for our coaches and for our fans, and for our program,” Wall said. “There are a lot of things that can’t be measured in statistics, the kind of intangible things that just make us who we are, and it shows in the way that we find ways to win games all the time.”

Five businesses remain closed since a fire ripped through a Main Street complex in downtown Salt Lake City in August, but two of them are on track to open in early 2026.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Former University of Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham warned reporters that he didn’t like to talk a lot and was working on only four hours of sleep when he stepped to the microphone Sunday morning upon being introduced as the 22nd coach in Michigan football history. “I am one of those rare college football coaches that doesn’t like to hear himself talk,” Whittingham said. But the 66-year-old coach who directed Utah’s program for 21 years and was at the school in Salt Lake City for more than 30 years won the news conference anyway — especially when he was finally coerced into saying that he dislikes Ohio State. No. 12 BYU pulls off another big comeback to win Pop-Tarts Bowl “I do now,” he said, after having talked about his friendship with former Utah, Florida and Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer. “I am on the right side now.” That drew a lot of laughter, as did the time when he suggested that Meyer was a “four-letter word” in Ann Arbor. In another bit of breaking news, Whittingham even called Utah rival BYU by its name and said he played for the Cougars in the 1985 Florida Citrus Bowl here in Orlando, a 10-7 loss for the Cougars to Ohio State, of all teams. Before anyone could ask, he outlined the reasons why he would step down at Utah after 21 seasons — 17 of them winning seasons — despite still wanting to coach. BYU DC Jay Hill is reportedly joining Kyle Whittingham at Michigan “After 21 years at Utah, I stepped down a couple weeks ago,” he said. “Wasn’t sure if I was finished (coaching) or not. I knew there was a lot left in the tank. You could count on one hand the number of schools that I would be receptive to. Michigan was one of those schools. Definitely a top-5 job in the country, without a doubt. When the ball started rolling and the more I learned about Michigan, the more excited I got. I am elated to be here.” Whittingham flew into Orlando Saturday night and met with the entire team, which is preparing to meet Texas in the Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium on Wednesday. He told the Deseret News that he followed the BYU-Georgia Tech game online on the airplane ride from Salt Lake City, and noted that it was “a good win for the Cougars” over the Yellow Jackets. Of course, BYU and Utah fans want to know which players and coaches from those staffs will join Whittingham in Ann Arbor. News surfaced Saturday and Sunday that BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill has been targeted and will almost certainly leave Provo for the maize and blue of Michigan. Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck is also a possibility to make the jump, as he had a highly successful first season in SLC coaching the likes of Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin. “Putting together an outstanding staff. Can’t give you any names right now,” Whittingham said. “There are guys that are still working bowl games and playoffs and so forth and so that will be forthcoming.” Asked specifically in a media scrum after his remarks from the podium about whether he will reach out to a lot of BYU and Utah coaches to build his staff — which he said will be comprised of seven or eight newcomers and two or three holdovers — Whittingham said it is “to be determined” and was still days away from being finalized. “I am working through that, but I have a plan. That’s all I can say, is a plan is in place. And we will see,” he said. “It should come to fruition in the next week or so. That’s the best answer I can give you to that.” What about players at BYU and Utah? Will Whittingham attempt to get the cream of the crop of the Wasatch Front schools to the Big Ten? “I know you don’t tamper with anybody. That’s not my style. If a player that we have interest in enters the portal, that is a whole different ball game,” he said. “Because now he’s in the portal, he is going somewhere. So why not Michigan, if it is a good fit?” More highlights from Whittingham’s introductory press conference: ### ‘An enjoyable ride in Salt Lake City’ Responding to a Deseret News question about whether he was treated fairly by Utah as his tenure as the winningest coach in school history was winding down, Whittingham said he “absolutely” was. “The administration of the university for my entire time there treated me well. Again, it was my decision to step down and I just felt like the time was right,” he said. “I have seen too many coaches hang on too long … In fact, I contemplated stepping down before last season. But we had such a frustrating season. We brought in a fifth quarterback in the middle of year (and went 5-7). I could not end on that note. So I came back and righted the ship, so to speak, and we got back on track. “But to answer your question, the university treated me nothing but good in my time there. The community, too. … It was just an enjoyable ride in Salt Lake City.” Of note, Whittingham acknowledged making a mistake at Utah when he was asked how much more he has in the tank. “Well, I signed a five-year contract. What I made (as) a mistake at Utah is when they started asking me about retirement, and I started answering questions and giving my own thing,” he said. “I am not that old. I am 66. It is not that old. I feel like I got enough energy and juice to see this through.” ### Whittinghams are going from red to deep, rich blue Accompanied by his wife, Jamie, at the news conference at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Whittingham said he has 11 grandchildren who are all starting to get their Michigan gear in place. He said his grandsons have changed their favorite team from Utah to Michigan on their college football video games. “What was appealing (about Michigan) was the obvious. It is Michigan, and all that entails — the tradition, the Big House,” he said. “It is one of the most storied programs in college football. So that was a no brainer.” The coach said he will still follow the Utes from afar and that the program is very much on solid ground. New coach Morgan Scalley will coach the Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska on Wednesday, the same day Whittingham will be in the press box at Camping World Stadium watching the Wolverines face former BYU quarterback Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns. “We went 10-2 this year. This (Utah) program that is in a great place right now. Excellent players, excellent coaching staff. I was able to hand the torch to my defensive coordinator, Morgan Scalley, who is an outstanding football coach,” Whittingham said. “I just felt the time was right to exit Utah, but like I said, I still have a lot of energy, and hey, if the right opportunity came I would be all in on that.” ### Former players reach out to Whittingham Whittingham said that since he announced he was stepping down at Utah, he’s received more than a thousand text messages from former Utah players and coaches. He has also heard from former Michigan players and coaches since accepting the job there. Former Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard texted him, for instance. “I wish Tom Brady would, but he is a busy guy, I guess,” Whittingham quipped. “But yeah, I have heard from a handful of former Michigan players and coaches. They are excited.” Whittingham acknowledged being “surprised” when Michigan called, and said it was a “no-brainer” to listen to athletic director Warde Manuel’s sales pitch. At about the same time Michigan was firing coach Sherrone Moore for an inappropriate relationship with a university staff member, Whittingham was announcing he was stepping down. At that time, the Wolverines weren’t even remotely on his radar, he said. “It was very, very uncanny circumstances,” he said. What would he be doing if Michigan hadn’t called? “Skiing, reading books to my granddaughters, riding motorcycles,” he said. “I do a lot of stuff.” And now he will be doing them on one of the biggest stages in college football, where winning remains the No. 1 priority, he concluded.

BYU freshman Bear Bachmeier celebrated a historic milestone with a mouthful of Pop-Tarts on Saturday night in Orlando, Florida. The 19-year-old just completed the Cougars’ first 12-win season in 24 years. Bachmeier also joined Jim McMahon, Robbie Bosco, Steve Sarkisian and Brandon Doman as the only BYU quarterbacks with a 12-win season, but there is one glaring difference — those legendary predecessors were seniors when they did it, and Bachmeier is just a year removed from high school. > “I knew coming in that it was a great team, and I knew we could do something special, but I never expected this. I’m just so grateful to be here. I love this university and I love these guys.” > > BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier “I knew coming in that it was a great team, and I knew we could do something special, but I never expected this,” said Bachmeier. “I’m just so grateful to be here. I love this university and I love these guys.” It took all of “his” guys, on both sides of the ball, for No. 12 BYU to edge No. 22 Georgia Tech 25-21 Saturday. Here are the three key plays that made it happen. ### Blocked field goal Leading 21-10 in the third quarter, Georgia Tech marched to the BYU 18-yard line and lined up for a field goal to extend its advantage. Aiden Birr, the best kicker in the ACC with a nation-leading 25 field goals prepared to pad his .893 success rate. The snap was crisp and the hold clean, but Birr’s ball banged into the big paw of BYU defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa and the blocked kick sent the pigskin flailing off target. Analysis: Gripping 25-21 win over Georgia Tech in Pop-Tarts Bowl was a microcosm of BYU’s special season BYU limps in but rolls late in dramatic bowl win over Georgia Tech What Georgia Tech coach said after losing to BYU in the Pop-Tarts Bowl “I’m blessed that the coaches have a strategic plan,” said the Utah transfer. “They put us in place, and I’m blessed to play next to JT (John Taumoepeau). He’s a dawg. He has great leverage. Great knock-back. He’s relentless. We just wanted it more than anything else.” Tanuvasa’s big play brought BYU’s portion of the stadium to life and restored belief that the Cougars sixth comeback win of the season was possible. ### Two-point conversion Seizing on the momentum, Bachmeier drove the Cougars 80 yards in 11 plays and Enoch Nawahine’s first touchdown run of the season cut the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 21-16 with 11:13 to play in the fourth quarter. On the ensuing two-point conversion try, Bachmeier, playing on a sprained ankle that he re-aggravated on the game’s opening drive, scrambled out of the pocket and bull-dozed a defender on his way over the goal line. “It’s just grit. You see it all over the field,” said tight end Carsen Ryan, who caught a career-high eight passes for 120 yards. “Bear has a sprained ankle and he’s running over dudes to get that two-point conversion. Without that, we probable lose the game.” Bachmeier wasn’t the only who winced when he turned the same ankle he injured early in the Big 12 championship game on Dec. 6. BYU was already playing without LJ Martin, the Big 12’s Offensive Player of the Year, and the idea of outscoring Georgia Tech with a one-legged quarterback had Cougar Nation anxious. “It was a rough one,” Bachmeier said of the injury at the 9:56 mark of the first quarter. “I just kept telling myself — 55 minutes, 54 minutes, 50 minutes and we are going to be happy at the end. Pain is temporary, so just push through. There is nothing that was going to take me out of that game.” With his ankle limiting him to the pocket, Bachmeier used him arm to throw for 325 yards and a touchdown to earn the game’s MVP award. ### Game-saving pick In his final game as Georgia Tech’s decorated quarterback, Haynes King looked over the BYU defense on fourth and 10 at the Cougars’ 18-yard line with 14 seconds remaining. The Yellow Jackets needed a touchdown to win the game. Despite their constant attempts, BYU’s defense hadn’t sacked King the entire game. On the snap, the Cougars brought pressure and King moved to his right. The fifth-year senior unloaded his pass to the end zone just before getting hit. “I was reading the quarterback’s eyes,” said BYU’s cornerback Evan Johnson. “When I saw that ball go up, I had to go get it.” Johnson stepped in front of Jamal Haynes and grabbed his fifth interception of the season to seal the win. The play was especially sweet for the junior, who earlier in the drive gave up a 68-yard bomb on fourth and 15 to keep Georgia Tech’s hopes alive. “It took some toughness. Those plays hurt. As a corner, that’s going to happen, so it’s just your mindset on how you are going to bounce back,” Johnson said. “God gave me a challenge and I overcame it.” ### Honorable mentions **Isaiah Glasker’s** fumble recovery on Georgia Tech’s first possession of the second half cost the Yellow Jackets a scoring opportunity. Facing third and goal at the 11, King tossed the ball to Jordan Allen. In BYU’s topsy-turvy effort to tackle him, Nusi Taumoepeau knocked the ball lose with his foot. A mad scramble ensued and the ball squirted all the way back to the 31 before Glasker jumped on it for the Cougars. Well-traveled tight end Carsen Ryan saves his best for last in Pop-Tarts Bowl **Tanner Wall’s** solo tackle with 6:24 to play in the fourth quarter didn’t get a headline, but it did force a Georgia Tech punt. BYU had the Yellow Jackets pinned back at their 12-yard line, but on third and seven, Haynes broke free on a run play and had a lot of Orlando grass in front of him before a diving Wall brought him down one yard shy of the first down. After a Georgia Tech punt, the Cougars scored the winning touchdown on the ensuing drive. With Martin and Sione Moa out with injuries, BYU turned to the rarely used **Enoch Nawahine** and **Jovesa Damuni** to run the ball. Together, they combined for 80 yards and both scored their first touchdowns of the season — BYU’s only touchdowns in their second-half comeback. In truth, Bachmeier needed all “his guys” to pull off the win and finish the kind of season no one saw coming. As a result, the Cougars should be on everyone’s radar for 2026. _Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com._

Most of the inventions we enjoy every day are just better-engineered versions of something invented between 1880 and 1920, a time that saw the introduction of electric lightbulbs, cars, airplanes, radios, telephones, typewriters, vacuum cleaners, cameras (for both still photos and movies), phonographs, X-ray images and assembly line mass production, among other things. Electronic computers didn’t come around until the 1940s, but by the 1920s, people were so conditioned to the idea of invention and progress that it’s a safe bet few people from a century ago would be shocked to see the modern world. Curious, intrigued and even excited, perhaps, but not shocked. They wouldn’t flinch at the droning of an airplane overhead, the ringing of a cell phone in our pockets or the constant babble from a radio or a podcast. ### What might shock us about the past So, what would shock them? Or, perhaps a better question, what would shock you if you could spend a few days in the New Year’s period of 1925-26? Certainly, attitudes toward race would jar us. You almost can’t visit an old newspaper without encountering belittling labels and worn-out bigotries. Or, perhaps, we have merely become more adept at hiding those things. Women had just won the right to vote in the ‘20s, but a visitor from a century ago might be surprised to see how women’s place in society has changed, or perhaps in some ways by how it has not. Modern attitudes about a host of things might shock the most. Putting such things to the side, however, a visitor from today might find a lot of familiar themes in the old days, and might learn some things as well. ### Warnings about sports gambling Take an editorial in the Deseret News on Dec. 31, 1925, headlined, “Professional football.” “What is to become of football?” it began. “America’s best loved game has become a great money earning capitalist. Can it survive prosperity?” Before you laugh, what followed were several paragraphs warning against allowing gambling to gain a foothold, saving the game from the “small coterie of ‘sure thing’ gamblers who have sucked the life from so many American sports.” “Sports depend on honest rivalry,” the editorial said. “Lacking this, any sport will fail.” It could have been written today, an age when electronic devices allow a constant stream of wagers on many aspects of professional sports, and where game-throwing scandals have become increasingly prevalent. Folks from a century ago might be disappointed by that. Opinion: Who has the courage to sever sports from gambling? People today, however, might find themselves afraid to venture out on New Year’s Eve 1925. Oh sure, crowds in Philadelphia were exuberant as the Liberty Bell was rung for the first time in 90 years. Revelers everywhere were being watched closely by plainclothes agents looking to arrest anyone pouring alcohol in the age of prohibition. Many of them, newspapers reported, were content to look the other way. In Washington, it was reported that President Calvin Coolidge had gone to bed early. ### New Year’s violence But the Chicago Tribune reported that 10 people were injured and one was killed by stray bullets in that city. These were not evidence of gang activity, although Chicago had plenty of that at the time. They were fired by celebrants who thought reckless gunfire was a proper way to ring in the new year. The Tribune reported how little 5-year-old Evelyn Harris was shot in the head as she leaned out the window of her home on South Dearborn Street. She died shortly thereafter. The paper mentioned nothing about any arrests. So, yes, random crimes and stupidity were likely as prevalent then as today. But thoughtful wisdom was in evidence, as well. “We are standing today at the beginning of this period of time, not knowing the things that shall befall us in the days and months of 1926,” a Deseret News editorial said. “It is well that we do not know. We prefer to have the uncertainty for the sake of our peace of mind and also for the beautiful surprises that may come to us at the turn of every road.” The editorial continued in a hopeful tone, noting the new year would present opportunities. “We are going to find opportunities in the midst of sorrow to be patient; in the midst of darkness to trust; in hours of discouragement to look to Him who is life and strength to all men. We shall have opportunities to consecrate the days to truth, to love and to the service of our fellowmen, thus developing in ourselves diviner qualities than we have hitherto had.” The person who wrote that had no idea that a devastating Depression lurked a few years in the future, followed by another world war. But history is often viewed best from a distance, and I have no doubt the author, were he transported to 2025 or ‘26, would see his day’s optimism for the future, generally speaking, as having been fulfilled. That must be our hope for the next hundred years, as well.

Entering the fourth quarter in Saturday’s Pop-Tarts Bowl, Georgia Tech held a 21-10 lead over BYU. But the Cougars clawed back to score 15 unanswered points in the final frame, stunning the Yellow Jackets 25-21 and clinching the victory with an end zone interception of Haynes King. “Congrats to BYU, Kalani (Sitake) and their victory in the game,” Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key told reporters postgame. “Good football team. (They) play the game the right way, (they) play hard. “... Unfortunately, we didn’t make plays down the stretch to be able to come out with a win. Again, credit to BYU for how they played. But I’m going to soak in every last moment that I have with these guys.” With a number of teams having opted out of bowl games — including Notre Dame previously declining the invitation to play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl that ultimately went to Georgia Tech — Key said he didn’t understand such thinking and expressed gratitude for playing another game with his team. “Competitors compete. It doesn’t matter where it is, what time it is, where you are playing, competitors compete,” Key said. “We have a team of competitors. We will always have a team of competitors. I am a competitor, and that is what we do. “I really don’t understand the narrative that has been created the last couple years about these (bowl) games aren’t important. I mean, who’s to say a football game isn’t important? There are 365 days in a year that we live, breathe and work for 12 guaranteed opportunities. There is no other sport like that ... I don’t understand people saying the devalue of a bowl game. It is a game. It is another chance to play a game.” Analysis: Gripping 25-21 win over Georgia Tech in Pop-Tarts Bowl was a microcosm of BYU’s special season 3 takeaways from BYU’s dramatic Pop-Tarts Bowl victory over Georgia Tech In the past three seasons since becoming Georgia Tech’s full-time head coach, Key has led the Ramblin’ Wreck to a 23-16 record, helping establish the program as a legitimate ACC contender again thanks to the contributions of current seniors such as King. “That was established by these seniors and by these guys, the identity and the culture,” Key said. “When you have that set the right way, regardless of guys that come in your program, the guys that are remaining from the year before, they are the ones that carry it on. They carry it on, because of how these guys built it. They know that is what they wanted to do.” With Saturday’s loss, Georgia Tech falls to 9-4 on the year after having opened the campaign with eight consecutive wins. “We have work to do. We have to make sure we have the best roster we can possibly have, put together the best staff that we can possibly have. It will be here fast. As quick as this season went, the next one will be here. We have to continue with the identity that these guys have built. We are rolling into the next one, because we have a lot of work to do,” Key said. “... We are all judged by the wins and losses, but when you put it together the right way, those all become a by-product of having everything in the right place and the kids all believe in the same thing and the staff believes in the same thing.”

### Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025 ### TELEVISION BASKETBALL * Mt. Zion (Md.) vs. Link Academy (Mo.), NBA TV, 8 a.m. * Montverde (Fla.) vs. Dynamic Prep (Texas), NBA TV, 9:30 a.m. * LuHi (N.Y.) vs. Paul VI (Winthrop at Texas Tech, TNT, noon * G League: Nets at Skyhawks, NBA TV, 1 p.m. * Women: UConn at Butler, TNT, 2 p.m. * G League: Gold at Boom, NBA TV, 3 p.m. * Women: Creighton at Georgetown, truTV, 4 p.m. HOCKEY * IIHF Juniors: Sweden vs. Switzerland, NHLN, noon * IIHF Juniors: Finland vs. Latvia, NHLN, 2:30 p.m. * Flyers at Kraken, NHLN, 6 p.m. HORSE RACING * America’s Day at the Races, FS1, 12:30 p.m. LACROSSE * NLL: Bandits at Roughnecks, ESPN2, 6 p.m. NFL * Steelers at Browns, CBS, 11 a.m. * Jaguars at Colts, Fox, 11 a.m. * Eagles at Bills, Fox, 2:30 p.m. * Bears at 49ers, NBC, 6:15 p.m. SOCCER * Sunderland vs. Leeds, USA, 7 a.m. * Crystal Palace vs. Tottenham, USA, 9:30 a.m. ### STREAMING FOOTBALL * Bears at 49ers, Peacock, 6:15 p.m. ### Monday, Dec. 29, 2025 ### TELEVISION BASKETBALL * Cornell at Michigan St., FS1, 5 p.m. * Drexel at Charleston, KUCW, 5 p.m. * UNC Wilmington at N.C. A&T, CBSSN, 5 p.m. * Cavaliers at Spurs, NBC, 6 p.m. * Women: Michigan at Oregon, FS1, 7 p.m. * Mavericks at Trail Blazers, NBC, 8:30 p.m. * **Utah at Washington, FS1, 9 p.m.** FOOTBALL * Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Southern vs. Appalachian St., ESPN, noon * Rams at Falcons, ESPN, 6:15 p.m. HOCKEY * IIHF Juniors: Germany vs. Sweden, NHLN, 11 a.m. * IIHF Juniors: Finland vs. Czech Republic, NHLN, 1:30 p.m. * IIHF Juniors: U.S. vs. Slovakia, NHLN, 4 p.m. * IIHF Juniors: Canada vs. Denmark, NHLN, 6:30 p.m. * **Predators at Mammoth, Utah 16, 7 p.m.** SOCCER * Roma vs. Genoa, CBSSN, 12:45 p.m. ### RADIO BASKETBALL * **Cal Baptist at UVU, AM-960, 6 p.m.** * **SUU at Utah Tech,****KSL Sports Zone****, 7 p.m.** * **Utah at Washington, AM-700, 9 p.m.** NHL * **Predators at Mammoth,****KSL Sports Zone****, 7 p.m.** ### STREAMING BASKETBALL * **Cal Baptist at Utah Valley, ESPN+, 6 p.m.** * Cavaliers at Spurs, Peacock, 6 p.m. * **Women: Utah Tech at SUU, ESPN+, 6:30 p.m.** * **SUU at Utah Tech, ESPN+, 7 p.m.** HOCKEY * **Predators at Mammoth, Mammoth+, 7 p.m.** ### Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025 ### TELEVISION BASKETBALL * Florida St. at North Carolina, ESPN2, 5 p.m. * Seton Hall at Marquette, FS1, 5 p.m. * 76ers at Grizzlies, NBC, 6 p.m. * Butler at Creighton, FS1, 7 p.m. * **Celtics at Jazz, KJZZ, 7 p.m.** * Notre Dame at Stanford, ESPN2, 7 p.m. * San Diego St. at San Jose St., CBSSN, 8 p.m. * Pistons at Lakers, NBC, 8:30 p.m. * New Mexico at Boise St., FS1, 9 p.m. FOOTBALL * Independence Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech, ESPN, noon * Music City Bowl: Tennessee vs. Illinois, ESPN, 3:30 p.m. * Alamo Bowl: USC vs. TCU, ESPN, 7 p.m. HOCKEY * IIHF Juniors: Switzerland vs. Germany, NHLN, noon * IIHF Juniors: Latvia vs. Denmark, NHLN, 2:30 p.m. * Islanders at Blackhawks, NHLN, 6:30 p.m. SOCCER * Chelsea vs. Bournemouth, USA, 12:30 p.m. * Motherwell vs. Celtic, CBSSN, 1 p.m. ### RADIO BASKETBALL * **Celtics at Jazz,****KSL Sports Zone****, 7 p.m.** * **Utah St. at Fresno St.,****KSL Sports Zone****, 7 p.m.** ### STREAMING BASKETBALL * 76ers at Grizzlies, Peacock, 6 p.m. * **Celtics at Jazz, Jazz+, 7 p.m.** * **Utah St. at Fresno St.,****MWN****, 7 p.m.** * Pistons at Lakers, Peacock, 8:30 p.m. ### Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025 ### TELEVISION BASKETBALL * Tulane at ECU, ESPNU, 10 a.m. * Wake Forest at North Carolina St., ESPN2, 10 a.m. * Warriors at Hornets, NBA TV, 11 a.m. * Clemson at Syracuse, ESPN2, noon * Rice at Tulsa, ESPNU, noon * Stony Brook at William & Mary, CBSSN, noon * Suns at Cavaliers, NBA TV, 1:30 p.m. * North Texas at Memphis, ESPN2, 2 p.m. * Wichita St. at UAB, ESPNU, 2 p.m. * DePaul at Villanova, FS1, 4 p.m. * St. John’s at Georgetown, FS1, 6 p.m. * Trail Blazers at Thunder, NBA TV, 6 p.m. FOOTBALL * ReliaQuest Bowl: Iowa vs. Vanderbilt, ESPN, 10 a.m. * Sun Bowl: Arizona St. vs. Duke, CBS, noon * Citrus Bowl: Michigan vs. Texas, ABC, 1 p.m. * **Las Vegas Bowl: Utah vs. Nebraska, ESPN, 1:30 p.m.** * CFP: Ohio St. vs. Miami, ESPN, 5:30 p.m. HOCKEY * IIHF Juniors: Switzerland vs. Slovakia, NHLN, 11 a.m. * IIHF Juniors: Czech Republic vs. Latvia, NHLN, 1:30 p.m. * IIHF Juniors: U.S. vs. Sweden, NHLN, 4 p.m. * IIHF Juniors: Canada vs. Finland, NHLN, 6:30 p.m. ### RADIO BASKETBALL * **Women: Arizona St. at Utah, AM-700, 2 p.m.** * **Women: TCU at BYU, FM-107.9, 7 p.m.** FOOTBALL * **Utah vs. Nebraska, AM-700, 1:30 p.m.** ### STREAMING BASKETBALL * **Women: San Jose St. at Utah St.,****MWN****, 1 p.m.** * **G League: Hustle at Stars, Jazz+, 6 p.m.** * **Women: Arizona St. at Utah, ESPN+, 7 p.m.** * **Women: TCU at BYU, ESPN+, 7 p.m.** HOCKEY * **Grizzlies at Thunder,****FloHockey.tv****, 5 p.m.** ### Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026 ### TELEVISION FOOTBALL * CFP: Texas Tech vs. Oregon, ESPN, 10 a.m. * CFP: Indiana vs. Alabama, ESPN, 2 p.m. * CFP: Georgia vs. Ole Miss, ESPN, 6 p.m. HORSE RACING * America’s Day at the Races, FS1, 12:30 p.m. NBA * 76ers at Mavericks, NBA TV, 6:30 p.m. * **Jazz at Clippers, KJZZ, 8:30 p.m.** NHL * **Mammoth at Islanders, NHLN/Utah 16, 1 p.m.** * Jets at Maple Leafs, NHLN, 5 p.m. SOCCER * Watford vs. Birmingham, CBSSN, 8 a.m. * Liverpool vs. Leeds, USA, 10:30 a.m. * Sunderland vs. Manchester City, USA, 1 p.m. ### RADIO BASKETBALL * **Portland St. at Weber St., FM-103.1, 2 p.m.** * **UVU at Tarleton St., AM-960, 6 p.m.** * **Jazz at Clippers,****KSL Sports Zone****, 8:30 p.m.** NHL * **Mammoth at Islanders,****KSL Sports Zone****, 1 p.m.** ### STREAMING BASKETBALL * **Portland St. at Weber St., ESPN+, 2 p.m.** * **Women: Abilene Christian at Utah Tech, ESPN+, 2 p.m.** * **Women: Tarleton St. at Valley, ESPN+, 2 p.m.** * **Utah Tech at Abilene Christian, ESPN+, 6 p.m.** * **Utah Valley at Tarleton St., ESPN+, 6 p.m.** * **Women: Weber St. at Portland St., ESPN+, 8 p.m.** * **Jazz at Clippers, Jazz+, 8:30 p.m.** HOCKEY * **Mammoth at Islanders, Mammoth+, 1 p.m.** ### Friday, Jan. 2, 2026 ### TELEVISION BASKETBALL * Kennesaw St. at Liberty, ESPNU, 5 p.m. * Lamar at McNeese, CBSSN, 5 p.m. * West Virginia at Iowa St., ESPN2, 7 p.m. * Notre Dame at Cal, ESPN2, 9 p.m. FOOTBALL * Armed Forces Bowl: Rice vs. Texas St., ESPN, 11 a.m. * Liberty Bowl: Navy vs. Cincinnati, ESPN, 2:30 p.m. * Mayo Bowl: Arizona vs. SMU, Fox, 6 p.m. * Holiday Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Mississippi St., ESPN, 6 p.m. HOCKEY * IIHF Juniors: Quarterfinals, NHLN, noon, 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m. * Rangers vs. Panthers, TNT, 6 p.m. OLYMPICS * U.S. speedskating trials, USA, 4:30 p.m. ### STREAMING BASKETBALL * Hawks at Knicks, Prime Video, 5:30 p.m. * **G League: Remix at Stars, Jazz+, 6 p.m.** * Thunder at Warriors, Prime Video, 8 p.m. GYMNASTICS * **Utah vs. Iowa/Minnesota, ESPN+, 7 p.m.** HOCKEY * Rangers vs. Panthers, HBO Max, 6 p.m. * **Grizzlies at Thunder,****FloHockey.tv****, 6 p.m.** ### Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 ### TELEVISION BASKETBALL * Virginia at North Carolina St., ESPN2, 9 a.m. * Clemson at Pitt, KUCW, 10 a.m. * Kentucky at Alabama, ESPN, 10 a.m. * Northeastern at Campbell, CBSSN, 10 a.m. * Providence at St. John’s, Fox, 10 a.m. * UTSA at Temple, ESPNU, 10 a.m. * VCU at Duquesne, USA, 10 a.m. * Villanova at Butler, TNT, 10 a.m. * Women: Seton Hall at UConn, FS1, 10 a.m. * Oklahoma St. at Texas Tech, ESPN2, 11 a.m. * **BYU at Kansas St., CBS, 11:30 a.m.** * Baylor at TCU, TNT, noon * Dayton at Loyola Chicago, CBSSN, noon * Houston at Cincinnati, Fox, noon * La Salle at George Washington, USA, noon * Vanderbilt at South Carolina, ESPNU, noon * Xavier at DePaul, FS1, noon * North Carolina at SMU, KUCW, 12:15 p.m. * Tennessee at Arkansas, ESPN2, 1 p.m. * Duke at Florida St., CBS, 1:45 p.m. * LSU at Texas A&M, ESPNU, 2 p.m. * Oral Roberts at North Dakota St., CBSSN, 2 p.m. * Rhode Island at George Mason, USA, 2 p.m. * **San Jose St. at Utah St., KMYU, 2 p.m.** * Colorado at Arizona St., ESPN2, 3 p.m. * Timberwolves at Heat, NBA TV, 3 p.m. * Davidson at Saint Joseph’s, CBSSN, 4 p.m. * Wichita St. at Charlotte, ESPNU, 4 p.m. * 76ers at Knicks, NBA TV, 5:30 p.m. * Purdue at Wisconsin, Fox, 6 p.m. * Wyoming at New Mexico, CBSSN, 6 p.m. * Boise St. at San Diego St., CBSSN, 8 p.m. * **Jazz at Warriors, KJZZ, 8 p.m.** * Celtics at Clippers, NBA TV, 8:30 p.m. HORSE RACING * America’s Day at the Races, FS1, 2 p.m. LACROSSE * NLL: Roughnecks at Seals, ESPNU, 8 p.m. NFL * Teams TBA, ABC, 2:30 p.m. * Teams TBA, ESPN, 6 p.m. NHL * Penguins at Red Wings, ABC, 10 a.m. * **Mammoth at Devils, Utah 16, 1 p.m.** * Maple Leafs at Islanders, NHLN, 5 p.m. OLYMPICS * U.S. speedskating trials, NBC, 2 p.m. SOCCER * Aston Villa vs. Nottingham, USA, 5:30 a.m. * Celtic vs. Rangers, CBSSN, 5:30 a.m. * Brighton vs. Burnley, USA, 8 a.m. * Dundee United vs. Dundee, CBSSN, 8 a.m. * Bournemouth vs. Arsenal, NBC, 10:30 a.m. ### RADIO BASKETBALL * **BYU at Kansas St., AM-1160/FM-102.7, 11:30 a.m.** * **Arizona at Utah, AM-700, 2 p.m.** * **San Jose St. at Utah St.,****KSL Sports Zone****, 2 p.m.** * **UVU at Abilene Christian, AM-960, 2 p.m.** * **Women: Arizona St. at BYU, FM-107.9, 2 p.m.** * **UT Arlington at SUU,****KSL Sports Zone****, 6:30 p.m.** * **Sacramento St. at Weber St., FM-103.1, 7 p.m.** * **Women: TCU at Utah, AM-700, 7 p.m.** * **Jazz at Warriors,****KSL Sports Zone****, 8 p.m.** NHL * **Mammoth at Devils,****KSL Sports Zone****, 1 p.m.** ### STREAMING BASKETBALL * **Women: SUU at UT Arlington, ESPN+, 1 p.m.** * **Arizona at Utah, Peacock, 2 p.m.** * **San Jose St. at Utah St.,****MWN****, 2 p.m.** * **Utah Valley at Abilene Christian, ESPN+, 2 p.m.** * **Women: Abilene Christian at Utah Valley, ESPN+, 2 p.m.** * **Women: Arizona St. at BYU, ESPN+, 2 p.m.** * **Women: Utah St. at Nevada,****MWN****, 2 p.m.** * **Women: Weber St. at Sacramento St., ESPN+, 3 p.m.** * **G League: Remix at Stars, Jazz+, 6 p.m.** * **UT Arlington at SUU, ESPN+, 6:30 p.m.** * **Sacramento St. at Weber St., ESPN+, 7 p.m.** * **Women: TCU at Utah, ESPN+, 7 p.m.** * **Jazz at Warriors, Jazz+, 8 p.m.** HOCKEY * **Mammoth at Devils, Mammoth+, 1 p.m.** * **Grizzlies at Thunder,****FloHockey.tv****, 5 p.m.** Email: swatkins@deseret.com

On Saturday evening, less than 24 hours after officially being named head football coach at the University of Michigan, Kyle Whittingham made his first public appearance, albeit a very brief one. In a 14-second video posted on the official Michigan Football social media pages that was taken from the team hotel in Orlando as it prepares for its bowl game, Whittingham said, “Michigan fans, coach Kyle Whittingham. Honored to be here. Honored to be the football coach at this great university. “Can’t wait to get working with our players, getting to know them and getting Michigan Football to where it should be.” > Michigan fans, meet Coach Whittingham. Let’s get to work! 〽️ pic.twitter.com/rg4cWYEzYv > > — Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) December 28, 2025 Whittingham was the head coach at Utah for 21 seasons and won nearly 67% of his games before stepping down earlier this month. He will be formally introduced as the Wolverines’ coach at a press conference Sunday at the team hotel. Michigan will face Texas in the Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31. Interim coach Biff Poggi will lead the Wolverines in that game.

The Utah Jazz beat the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Utah. They quickly got on a flight and headed down to San Antonio, where they beat the Western Conference No. 2 Spurs on Saturday night, 127-114. You have to wonder how the front office is handling this. Walter Clayton Jr. said it in his walk-off interview on Saturday night in San Antonio. “I think guys are just tired of losing.” Mike Smith said it on the Utah Jazz post-game broadcast. “This is the kind of win, or stretch, or two games, that could change a season. It creates belief, it creates hope.” Uh oh. It’s a tough needle to thread for the Jazz decision makers, who want to see development and growth and potential, but would also really like to have a top 8 pick in the 2026 draft. Well, the Friday and Saturday wins for the Jazz against two of the best teams in the NBA did not help their chances at keeping their 2026 pick (it will go to the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder if it lands outside the top eight), but boy did it show some strength and growth. Once again Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George did the lion’s share of the lifting — Markkanen finished with 29 points, five rebounds and three steals, while George had 28 points, six assists and five rebounds. The duo is leading the league by a wide margin when it comes to two starters who finish games with 25-or-more points. Markkanen is making a strong case for a second All-Star selection and George will certainly be in the running for Most Improved Player at the end of the season. But it was Clayton who shocked and awed against the Spurs on Saturday. When Isaiah Collier took a hard bump to the shoulder and needed to get checked out by the Jazz’s medical team, Clayton subbed in and made an immediate impact, scoring 11 of his 17 points in the second quarter, helping the Jazz go on a run that gave them a 70-60 lead at half time. “This is very clearly Walt’s best game as a pro,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said. “A lot of big shots, played with a ton of force, had some big defensive plays, showed some physicality on the ball defensively...It’s been a tricky start to the season for Walt because of his minutes and opportunity, but he stayed ready and...he picked his spots tonight to be aggressive.” Clayton was a game-high plus-22 in overall plus-minus and finished with 17 points, five assists, two rebounds and zero turnovers. And, he didn’t miss a single shot. That came after he struggled on Friday against the Pistons, playing just nine minutes and taking just one shot that he missed. The Jazz continue to make a statement that they are capable of creating momentum and that behind their powerful leading duo there are a stable of young and hungry players chomping at the bit to break through. “We’ve seen this a bunch of times this year where we’re in close games and our team is not afraid,” Hardy said. “They don’t look scattered, they’re very connected, and they’re stepping up and making a lot of big plays, so I’m so proud of our group, and I want our guys and our fans to enjoy this win.” The players and the fans should certainly enjoy the win and the front office should start charting out the rest days for the remainder of the season.

For the residents of Utah, 2025 was a very mixed bag of emotions and the Deseret News photojournalists were, once again, on the front lines covering the emotional stories that in many ways, rocked our world. In September, the Beehive State was at the epicenter of political violence when Charlie Kirk was tragically assassinated on the Utah Valley University campus. Deseret News photojournalist Tess Crowley was one of several journalists covering the event and was swept down onto the ground after the fatal shot rang out. Within moments, Crowley was able to get up and start documenting the panic and horror of the attendees as they started to realize what had happened. But mixed in through the year, there were many uplifting moments in the daily lives of not only Utahns, but others that we covered across the country and around the globe. The photos captured lighthearted moments like pond skimming to wrap up a busy ski season, to celebrating the new St. Mary Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church opening, to the excitement of watching grade-schoolers receive brand new shoes from Operation Warmth and FedEx. And we paid tribute to those we lost this year, like President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Pope Francis, former Congresswoman Mia Love and fallen first responders in Tremonton. Here’s a look at 67 of our most impactful photographs that captured 2025.

More than anything in the world, 3-year-old Kiri Duke-Rosati has been hoping this month that Santa Claus would bring him Spider Man stuff. He loves the super hero character in any and every form, from pajamas to toys. What his parents, Jazmynn Pok and Anthony Duke-Rosati yearn for is quite a bit more sobering. They long for someone to match their son’s stem cells so he lives. The toddler has a lethal inherited metabolic disorder affecting young males called cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy. A match will cure him. Without it, he will lose the ground a toddler makes — the speech, the motion, the personality. And eventually he will die. Deseret News profiled his dilemma in August with a story headlined “When only a stranger can save your 3-year-old.” The follow-up could be “When only your 3-year-old can save a stranger.” Through efforts to find a match for Kiri, including the Deseret News story, 13,000 people have had their cheeks swabbed to see if they are a suitable stem cell match. And through that effort, a dozen people with situations that may be as dire as the little boy’s have found potential matches that could offer them the hope of treatment or a cure for their own life-altering and in some cases potentially life-ending conditions. Kiri does not yet have the longed-for close match, but his story has opened the door for matches for others. The NMDP, formerly called the National Marrow Donor Program, which manages the registry, has been calling those potential matches back to see if they’ll do further testing. Their willingness could change everything for someone else. That potential’s a very bright spot for Pok, an attorney, and Duke-Rosati, a firefighter and paramedic, who live in Holladay, Utah. “Thinking about Kiri’s legacy with this is very cool,” Pok told Deseret News. “I wish I could bottle up what this last few months have been and what it means. I know what a potential match would mean for us.” That his illness and the search for a donor have opened the door to saving other lives leaves her almost speechless. It’s “very Kiri. He’s the sweetest kid,” his mom said, “always wanting to make people feel better. He’s always talking about how he loves everyone. So that couldn’t be more him.” Kiri doesn’t understand any of this. The boisterous little boy is too busy playing with big sister and dearest friend Nora, 6, and little brother Rocco, 2. Rocco likes nothing more than to be around Kiri, emulating everything from what he does to what he has for breakfast. And Kiri and Nora are nearly inseparable. ### Routine screening, shocking result The disease was discovered during Utah’s routine newborn screening test, this disease one of the more recent additions. The disease, called ALD for short, is so rare that most people have never heard of it unless they have watched the movie “Lorenzo’s Oil.” It occurs in about 1 case in 17,000 live births. Kiri has the most severe form, cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (CALD), which occurs in about 1 in 42,500 or 1 in 48,500 live births, according to Adrenoleukodystrophy.info. With brain changes visible on a scan, it’s just a matter of time before symptoms appear, his parents were told. Without treatment, CALD is usually fatal. But first it will rob him. Possible losses include hearing and vision, the ability to walk and control his bladder and bowels and even speak. He may have seizures and trouble chewing or swallowing. ### Racing to save Kiri Pok and Duke-Rosati and extended family members have been very proactive, launching a campaign they call “Hope for Kiri” online and across social media platforms. They’ve responded to any and all media requests in hopes of getting the word out. They’ve held events where people can get a simple cheek swab. They even had a country music night at a local venue, with food and silent auction items, all to raise awareness and cover costs. If the efforts seem a bit frantic, they are. Time is slipping away. Right now, though the disease can be seen on scans, Kiri is a typical toddler, full of joy and wonder. Once symptoms begin, damage cannot be reversed. With a stem cell transplant using bone marrow, the disease will likely disappear. It hinges on finding a suitable match. ### A plea to follow through Erica Sevilla of NMDP said some folks could be called right away because they match someone and others may receive a call in the future. There are some who will never get a call. She said about half of people contacted about being a match to someone in the registry — who may have one of about 75 very serious, sometimes fatal diseases — change their minds about donating, worried about the process itself. So she takes great pains to explain how simple it is. It’s like donating platelets or plasma in most cases, she said. Blood is taken from one arm and returned to the other, minus enough stem cells to be an effective transplant. And it doesn’t take much. The list of disorders that can be treated or cured with a bone marrow transplant include rare immune disorders, blood disorders, aplastic anemia, sickle cell disease, leukemia, lymphoma and so many more. But a match is needed. It takes about two hours — if they can find someone who matches Kiri on human leukocyte antigen or HLA markers. Right now, Pok said they have a potential partial match, but a closer match would be a safer option for him if they can find one. Sevilla said that younger donors — and Kiri needs a donor under age 40 — have more unique HLA markers compared to previous generations. Sevilla said in 2024, about half of all new registry members ages 18-35 added new HLA types to the NMDP registry because younger generations are more diverse. “Because of this, we have focused our efforts on our Donor for All research to help ensure that patients without fully matched donors can still receive the cell therapy they need,” she said. Even without a perfect match, they’re hopeful Kiri can get a “good enough” match to change his trajectory. Sevilla noted younger donors lead to better outcomes. While with a stem cell transplant there is a risk for the patient, there’s little risk for the donor. But Hollywood depictions have scared some potential donors away by “grossly dramatizing” the process, per Sevilla. Medication can help produce more stem cells that spill over into the blood, so that taking it directly from bone marrow isn’t usually needed. And in cases where it is, it’s taken under anesthesia, the aftermath pain akin to the kind of bruising and soreness you’d feel if you fell down, she said. Ninety percent of people who would be called on to donate would provide peripheral blood stem cells, akin to the blood donation. Donating costs nothing. The costs — even travel if it is needed — do not fall on the donor. “We can even reimburse lost wages, day care, pet care, travel if they have to travel anywhere,” said Sevilla. “We want to make this as easy as possible.” When Deseret News wrote about Kiri, 1,500 people had been swabbed. Sevilla calls the rise to almost 13,000 an “absolutely incredible response.” But Kiri still hasn’t found the perfect match, although there is a potential donor, his mother said. Because of the nature of his disease, they’d like to hold out for a match to more HLA markers. The more markers the greater the likelihood of an effective cure. But any matched markers are better than not trying if the little boy runs out of time. New techniques have broadened the pool of potential donors, but they aren’t without some challenges. A medication can be administered post-transplant to temper rejection, but its toxicity has to be closely managed. A great HLA match is the goal. ### Counting blessings Pok is counting two blessings. Kiri’s disease, while it has reached his brain, is progressing at the moment more slowly than predicted, which buys him some time. And the partial match is certainly far more than they had when the process started. Pok and Duke-Rosati are navigating a world that was very strange to them at first. They don’t intend to leave it once their child is safe. Pok said they will hang onto the energy created by the push to save Kiri’s life. There are a lot of rare diseases and they hope that “once we have Kiri situated, we can do something else with this energy to drive awareness of the other diseases.” Pok recently was invited to the lab of Dr. Joshua Bonkowski, a neurologist who treats Kiri. She was struck by all the people working there who are trying so hard to save people like Kiri from terrible disease. She admits that it’s hard to just hope everything goes perfectly and Kiri gets the match he needs and to not feel anxious. But they’re well aware of their blessings and all the love and effort directed toward their child. How many people can say 13,000 folks care about them in a personal, do-something way?

ORLANDO, Fla. — Senior tight end Carsen Ryan knew the No. 12 BYU Cougars would be playing without their best player, running back LJ Martin, in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday afternoon. So he took matters into his own hands, as it were. Ryan, who transferred to BYU for his final season of eligibility after playing at UCLA and Utah, had a career-high eight receptions for a career-high 120 yards in the Cougars’ dramatic 25-21 win over No. 22 Georgia Tech at Camping World Stadium. The performance should propel the former Timpview High star into more consideration in April’s NFL draft. Time and again the 6-foot-4, 250-pounder came up big time and time again for the Cougars, who had to go to the passing game almost exclusively with Martin watching on the sidelines and quarterback Bear Bachmeier ailing with a sprained left ankle. “It felt great. It is so special, just seeing everyone after we won that game and the fight that we had as a team, and being able to play like that, it is so special,” Ryan said. “It is the best game I have had in my career in college. “I am just so grateful for the opportunity to be here and for the coaching staff and the players and the teammates who have helped me get to this point.” Ryan served notice that he would be a factor on the first play of the game, as he hauled in a 12-yard pass from Bachmeier. He made another nice catch on that same drive, but the drive stalled at the Georgia Tech 1-yard line when Enoch Nawahine was stuffed on fourth down. On BYU’s second possession, Bachmeier threw a 6-yard pass to Ryan and a 28-yard pass to Parker Kingston before connecting with Chase Roberts for a 7-yard touchdown. Kingston caught five passes for 76 yards and Roberts caught seven passes for 57 yards in the final game of a brilliant college career. “I knew we were going to have to throw the ball a lot and I was going to be a part of that,” Ryan said. “All month, we have been practicing and putting plays in to give me the ball. “The ball came my way a lot, and I was able to get the opportunity to make plays.” Ryan was also effective as a blocker, shoving Nawahine into the end zone for a touchdown with 11:13 remaining that trimmed Georgia Tech’s lead to 21-16. Then Bachmeier ran for the two-point conversion, a run that doesn’t get put in the official game stats but was incredibly fortuitous nevertheless. “He is a fighter,” Ryan said of the freshman. “I give him so much credit. He’s pretty banged up. For him to run and get in the end zone, I know that hurt his ankle, hurt him a lot. “He’s just such a fighter, a dude. It is so good play with him and see the maturity and the grit. I am so proud of him.” In the second half, Ryan added catches of 18, 18, 13 and 8 yards. The 8-yard catch came during BYU’s game-winning 70-yard touchdown drive. Jovesa Damuni did the honors from the 4-yard line. “It is just special,” Ryan said of his single season at BYU. “I’ve had a different journey here. This is my one season with this team and with these guys, and I am just so grateful for that chance. “The friendships I have made and the brothers I have now, I will never forget how much I’ve learned spiritually, mentally and as a football player.” Head coach Kalani Sitake said the Yellow Jackets (9-4) required the Cougars to play one of their best games of the season, and they did that after a poor first half. “Really proud of the guys for getting to 12-2,” Sitake said. “Really proud of the coaches, staff and support staff. Really proud of the fans who showed up.” Attendance was 34,126 and roughly two-thirds of the crowd was cheering for BYU. “The fact that we did it (12 wins) with a Big 12 schedule says that these guys are great athletes, great players, great talents,” Sitake said. “It has been a nice thing for me to see in 10 years of being a head coach, and I am really excited about Year 11, too.”

ORLANDO, Fla. — As if 13 tension-filled football games weren’t enough in the regular season and the Big 12 championship, the No. 12 BYU Cougars used the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday afternoon to show the country just who they are, for one final time in 2025. In front of 34,126 onlookers at Camping World Stadium and a national television audience, the Cougars defeated No. 22 Georgia Tech 25-21 in roughly the same way that they won at least a half-dozen other games in this special season. That is to say with incredible grit, a never-say-die attitude and belief in the culture that head coach Kalani Sitake has so masterfully installed in Provo. Like the wins over Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Iowa State and UCF, the Cougars rallied when all seemed lost. This particular victory — was it the best of the season, all things considered? — included a fast start, a mistake-filled middle stretch and then a spirited comeback for the ages — and a dramatic finish that went BYU’s way when it easily could have gone 9-4 Tech’s way. Add it all up, and 2025 has to go down as one of the best seasons in school history, if not the best. BYU got its 12th win for the first time since 2001, and of course it had to be closely contested to the bitter end. Trailing 21-10 at halftime Saturday, the Cougars (12-2) played a final 30 minutes for the ages, shutting out the explosive Yellow Jackets and watching a hobbled Bear Bachmeier and company make just enough plays to pull it out. Then a defender, Evan Johnson, who had been beaten by a 66-yard bomb on fourth-and-15 deep in BYU territory just four plays prior, made the game-sealing interception, snagging a ball that almost certainly would have been caught for a touchdown. This is mostly a Universal Studios town, but forgive us for calling it a Hollywood ending — at least for the Cougars. “Great game, and just really proud of the guys. Proud of the leadership on our team. … Overall, I felt like we got in a rough spot, but we have been in that position before,” Sitake said. On the other side of the field, after all the confetti had fallen and Pop-Tarts had been dumped on Sitake and even eaten by the colorful coach, Georgia Tech coach Brent Key just wondered what might have been. “They made one more play than we did,” Key said. Credit BYU’s defense, in what was quite likely defensive coordinator Jay Hill’s final game at BYU, for making that extra play — which ironically came after a play that would have been shown on every highlight show from here to Seattle. After Georgia Tech’s Eric Rivers hauled in the 66-yarder from Haynes King to put the Yellow Jackets at BYU’s 18 — credit Johnson for tackling him after a misjudged swipe at the ball — Hill’s defense (playing without star linebacker Jack Kelly) forced three straight incompletions before the game-sealing interception. “Coach Hill gave me a great call, and I got my opportunity to go make a play,” Johnson said. BYU safety Tanner Wall said there wasn’t time to console Johnson after the 66-yard pass play but figured the redshirt sophomore was mature enough to overcome it, which he did. “I think it is a great lesson for life that adversity might strike, but you can’t give up,” said Wall. “… I think the fight coming out in the second half was huge.” Indeed, BYU shut out Georgia Tech in the second half after the Jackets had put up 198 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. Of course, one of those TDs was a gift, as BYU fumbled a kickoff to set the designated visiting team up at its 5 yard line. BYU also gave away points on its first possession of the second half, as Rodney Shelley intercepted Bachmeier at the goal line on third-and-4. Take away that play that cost the Cougars four points, a turnover on downs at the Tech 1-yard line in the first quarter when Enoch Nawahine was stopped inches short and the botched kickoff, and this might have been a BYU rout. But that wouldn’t be fitting for the Pop-Tarts Bowl, which bills itself as the “People’s National Championship.” That’s probably overhyped, but the 2025 game almost certainly will go down as one of the best of the bowl season. It will also be remembered as the game Bachmeier gutted out after aggravating a left ankle sprain on BYU’s first possession. Bachmeier, who was named the game’s MVP, acknowledged that he was “banged up” going into the game, but wouldn’t put a percentage on it. He also said he tweaked it again on a run two plays before the big Georgia Tech stop at the goal line. “I just had to play for my brothers,” Bachmeier said. The freshman completed 27 of 38 passes for 325 yards and a 7-yard touchdown pass to Chase Roberts for a passer rating of 146.3. He carried the ball just once, for no yards. King, a senior who was the ACC Player of the Year, was also impressive, throwing for 270 yards and two touchdowns. “I missed a throw. You gotta make those plays,” King said of an overthrow to an open tight end the play before Johnson’s interception. Another key play by BYU’s defense: Keanu Tanuvasa got a hand on a field goal attempt by Aidan Birr when Tech was trying to make it a 24-10 game. Key inexplicably tried the field goal on 4th-and-2 after moving the ball with ease to the BYU 17. After that, it was all BYU, as the Cougars drove 80 yards in 11 plays and got a two-point conversion run by Bachmeier to trim the deficit to 21-18 with 11:13 remaining. The game-winning drive came with 5:44 remaining and BYU at its own 30. Parker Kingston made a big catch on third and 10, and Jovesa Damuni capped the nine-play drive off with a 4-yard touchdown run, the first of his career. A few calls went against BYU in the first half, but the Cougars also repeatedly shot themselves in the foot to fall behind by 11 points at the break. Georgia Tech got away with a pick play at the goal line a few plays before its first touchdown, and a third-down pass to the end zone to Roberts fell incomplete as a defender got away with a hold. On the drive that put Tech ahead 14-10, a phantom facemask penalty on Isaiah Glasker gave the Jackets 15 free yards. Then again, there was no one to blame for Cody Hagen’s muff of a kickoff that gave the Jackets the ball at the BYU 5 and resulted on an easy TD pass the very next play. The rest of the half, the Cougars struggled to make routine tackles, committed a costly pass-interference penalty on third and 8 that allowed the Jackets to get a touchdown instead of a field goal and started to get pushed around on the line of scrimmage as the half wore on. Tech tied it with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, getting the score on fourth and 3 when Trelain Maddox stretched the ball over the goal line. BYU put together another nice drive, but no flag came from the Big Ten officiating crew on the third-down throw to Roberts from the Tech 4, and BYU had to settle for a 22-yard field goal and 10-7 lead. BYU’s defense started to crack, as the Jackets scored two touchdowns in the space of 13 seconds, to take the 21-10 lead. BYU picked up 220 yards in the first half, and finished with 425. “We have been in this position before,” Sitake said at halftime. “Let’s see how we respond.” The Cougars’ answer: Check the half-dozen or so other games this season when BYU found itself in a hole.

There are bowl games, and then there was this one, a down-to-the-wire, dramatic No. 12 BYU comeback 25-21 victory over No. 22 Georgia Tech. It was a Jerry Bruckheimer script with James Cameron directing in Orlando at the Pop-Tarts Bowl Saturday. BYU showed up looking like something straight out of that Archibald Willard “Yankee Doodle” painting of banged-up, bandaged soldiers marching with a pipe and drum. You had Cougar star LJ Martin sporting a sling as well as defensive captain and sack leader Jack Kelly in street clothes, wearing glasses, looking like a lost accountant. Then there was freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier gingerly limping around, unable to be his Bear self with his ground game. But somehow this group, fueled by the frenzy of thousands of their fans in the stands, overwhelmed Georgia Tech in the waning moments, willing their teammates to a triumphant end. This show produced the first 12-win Cougar season in 24 years. It was a doozy. It had BYU’s defense force a fumble, block a field goal and get an interception, and a limping offense found a way. Evan Johnson’s end zone interception of ACC Player of the Year Haynes King completed an 11-point comeback win for the Cougars. It also completed a BYU defensive second-half shutout of a Yellow Jackets team that was ranked as high as No. 7 in the country this season. > BYU PICKS OFF HAYNES KING TO WIN THE POP-TARTS BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD! pic.twitter.com/cYB6VBI3HW > > — ESPN (@espn) December 28, 2025 Offensively, Bachmeier engineered two fourth-quarter touchdown drives of 11 plays for 80 yards and 9 plays for 70 yards. On that first TD, a 2-yard Enoch Nawahine run, Bachmeier converted a two-point conversion with his only Bear-like run off a broken play. He met GT linebacker Kyle Efford at the 5 yard line and dragged him into the end zone to draw BYU within 3 at 21-18 with 11:13 to play in the game. Before kickoff, we learned Kelly was out. Days before, we were told Martin, the Big 12’s top rusher, was out because of shoulder surgery. Bachmeier was not completely healed up from an ankle sprain suffered early in the second loss to Texas Tech. How in Cosmo’s Cave would BYU mount any kind of offense without a run game? Well, they kind of couldn’t. But they got just enough out of Nawahine (10 carries for 31 yards) and freshman Jovesa Damuni (7 carries for 48 yards). Each ran for a short touchdown. Barely enough. Meanwhile, offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick used Parker Kingston on jet sweeps and short swing passes to create a problem for GT’s defense to solve by bringing more help in the box. Then you had two senior star studs deliver final game fireworks. Tight end Carsen Ryan had a career game with 8 catches for 120 yards, with a long of 38. Chase Roberts hauled in 7 catches for 57 yards, and Kingston caught 5 passes for 76 yards. GT’s defense struggled to stop this adjusted BYU air attack. Late in the game, the Yellow Jackets absolutely could not slow it down. They were run over by a hospital ward. Defensively, BYU applied so much pressure to Haynes, he wished he was back in the ACC. They chased him like angry Scots after a goat. They disrupted his timing, forced him to improvise and throw the ball high, low and way out of bounds in the fourth quarter. The blocked third-quarter field goal by Keanu Tanuvasa and fumble recovery by Isaiah Glasker set off an explosion amongst Cougar players. You could sense it, feel it. If you were seeing this as a BYU fan, you probably felt your post-traumatic stress disorder rise up for three quarters, especially with a muffed kickoff and Bachmeier interception in the end zone, some missed pass interference calls and no power run game when in scoring position. But this is a BYU team that won comeback games at Colorado, Arizona and Iowa State. They don’t quit. > BYU scored 8 more points and gained 150 more yards against GT than the SEC champion did btw > > — Joe Wheat (@joewheat27) December 28, 2025 And somewhere in the rewind, BYU fans in the stands must be given credit. They poured energy into this squad. BYU outscored GT 15-0 in the fourth quarter. At the end of this game, BYU’s offensive line was pushing GT around and the Cougar defensive line looked like scalded cats looking for something to scratch. BYU’s got its second wind heading down the stretch. It was evident. Bodies were thrown around. Guys were clobbered and run over. Cougar physicality took a clear step up over GT. And the limping Bear packed off the MVP trophy. Somebody had to pack the pipe and drum and unwind all the bandages. This was BYU’s 19th bowl victory in 42 appearances with its 23rd win the last two seasons. This is the fourth 10-win season in the last six years. It may rank right up there with the most entertaining. And we’ve seen quite a few of those finish from Las Vegas to San Diego.

Tiffany Fransen was having a good time with her cousins at a Taylor Swift concert in Glendale, Arizona, in 2023 when a police officer confronted her to ask if she was drunk. She wasn’t, but it wouldn’t be the last time she’d be asked that question. The same thing happened with another officer months after that. And a flight attendant asked her that question when she was boarding an airplane for a family vacation. Tiffany, now 27, staggers, stumbles and sometimes falls. If she’s tired, she may slur her words. So she spends a fair amount of time explaining a neurodegenerative disease she’d never even heard of growing up, but which now plays a large role in not only her life, but that of her family. Always a clumsy child and teenager, Tiffany, a wife and mom who now lives in Highland, Utah, spent years trying to figure out if she could do something to conquer what she thought of as her klutziness. She wasn’t coordinated enough to play sports. But she most often just shrugged it off. Five years ago, she learned she has a neurological disease that is projected to get much worse as the years go on. That disease, called Friedreich’s ataxia, is rare enough that most of the doctors she consulted, including neurologists, know little to nothing about it. “Ataxia” refers to a lack of muscle control and coordination, so people with Friedreich’s ataxia have clumsy movements that impact how they walk, their balance, their speech, fine motor skills like using their hands and even swallowing, as the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance explains. Friedreich’s is just one type of ataxia. It’s rare. It affects about 5,000 people in the U.S. Only 1% of people carry the gene mutation and both parents have to be carriers for a child to inherit the condition and develop symptoms. It’s likely most carriers don’t ever learn they carry it. Tiffany’s mom, Pam Nash, said neither she nor her husband had even heard the name, yet Tiffany and one of her younger sisters both have the neurodegenerative disorder. Tiffany’s two brothers and another sister do not. When both parents have a copy of the gene mutation, each offspring has a 25% chance of having Friedreich’s ataxia. Tiffany was diagnosed by way of a genetic test, which is the only way to know for sure. At the time, five years ago, she and her husband Alex had been married for just three weeks. ### Gene mutation creates ‘energy crisis’ Dr. Susan Perlman, a neurologist at UCLA Medical Center, follows about 130 patients who have Friedreich’s. People who study, treat or live with the disease usually shorthand the disease name to FA. The genetic mutation that creates FA is in a gene responsible for producing a protein called frataxin, involved with energy production in nerves, muscles and heart muscles. When protein levels are low because of the mutation, energy production is sluggish. Free radicals also build, ultimately killing nerve and muscle cells. Perlman said the balance center and its pathways in the spinal cord are very sensitive to what she calls an “internal energy crisis.” Skeletal muscles can do OK for a while, but eventually run out of energy-generating potential and become weak and tired. The heart is also sensitive to lack of appropriate energy production, so people with FA are very vulnerable to heart problems like cardiomyopathy. Some might develop scoliosis. Diabetes, hearing and vision problems can be part of the disease. At some point, those with FA typically need a wheelchair. The disease can shorten lives, particularly for those with heart complications. Tiffany doesn’t have any, but said she’s been told they could develop. Perlman knows that doctors who are unfamiliar with FA, which she first saw in the 1980s before it even had a name or test, may brush it off with something like, “You’re clumsy. I was a clumsy kid, too.” When over time the clumsiness proves progressive, rather than being outgrown, a doctor may finally make referrals to a specialist who will order a genetic test. When symptoms don’t show up in childhood — they often do around age 7 or 8 — the search for answers can take a lot longer. For many adults, there are years of doctor appointments that yield nothing on the way to finding out, a journey often littered with misdiagnosis and delay after delay, Perlman said. For those with later onset or at least recognition that something’s off, FA’s timing typically catches young people as they’re socially interactive in school, trying to launch careers and forming relationships, she said. “It’s tremendously stressful.” Tiffany’s search for answers took six years and certainly wasn’t what she expected. ### A changed but not scaled-down life When they got engaged, Alex knew that Tiffany was trying to figure out why she stumbled so often and sometimes fell. He’d even picked her up a few times after she tumbled. “She still falls slow enough to get to her butt or back and not be hurt,” he said matter-of-factly. When they were dating, she told him that when she was serving a Spanish-speaking mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Washington, D.C., it had become difficult to walk down stairs unless there was a rail she could grasp. She’d even heard of Friedreich’s ataxia. That happened back when she was 20. She’d struggled to come out of anesthesia after an operation. The nurses were concerned, but clueless. One of the doctors mentioned that it might be FA, but said it was no big deal. So she didn’t even look it up online. Alex and Tiffany had planned to start a family “in a year or three” after they married. They wanted to grow as a couple first. Her diagnosis changed that. He got genetic testing to make sure he wasn’t an FA carrier and they moved up the timeline. They had Robbie three years ago, then Andy, who is now 1½. They both wanted children and were not sure how fast the disease would progress; she longed for time to enjoy them and motherhood in the most healthy way possible. Lance has Alzheimer's. Here's what he wants you to know New legislation aims to protect women in labor from being turned away But the muscle weakness has progressed quickly. Alex, who was a welder, had to change career direction so he could be home with Tiffany and the boys most of the time. She can’t lift Andy to change his diaper or help the boys with their baths. Her hands shake, so Alex took care of feeding their babies even early on. Once, he was taking a shower and one of the boys fell down the stairs; she yelled and he rushed out of the shower to pick up and soothe him. If he wants to go hunting — something he used to really enjoy — he has to arrange for someone to stay with his family. For a trip to the store, he takes the boys along or makes arrangements, so life’s a bit more complicated than it is spontaneous. Alex works from home, doing customer service for a heart monitoring company. Tiffany, who got her degree in accounting, does the books for the company. Her brain is — and will remain — intact, so though her fingers are slower than she’d like when she types on her computer, she has a job and can manage it well. If someone puts Andy or Robbie on her lap, she’ll happily snuggle them and read them a book. But she can’t lift them there. If they wake and cry at night, Alex goes. She points out that when the kids need something, they seek their dad. She calls him “Mr. Mom,” but there’s a bit of wistfulness in her voice. That’s not the only thing that makes her feel sad. When someone has a visible disability like she does, she said, people assume things about what they can and can’t do or about their circumstance, like the questions about alcohol consumption. “It’s not that I don’t need help. I do,” she said, adding that she’s grateful when someone holds the door for her, but less so when they don’t know how to behave so they pretend she isn’t there. Or when they act like she can’t do anything at all. She can do lots of things. “I have a happy life,” she said. “I have a family and a job. I feel fulfilled. I am a whole person.” ### A couple’s wish list Still, she wishes FA was better known, in part so people would be more comfortable around it. Familiarity could explain some of the disease’s challenges and maybe people would even push for more research to try to solve it. Right now, there are several treatments in the pipeline but only one that’s approved by the Food and Drug Administration. That medication, Skyclarys by Biogen, is a daily pill that reduces symptoms and slows disease progression. It’s a blessing, but it’s not a cure. Among her challenges is keeping the muscle tone she can. She has physical therapy, including both muscle building and balance, four times a week. That will go on indefinitely to work on keeping her strong. Alex’s wish is closer to home and probably more attainable: “I wish people would let Tiffany tell them the things she can and can’t do. Sometimes she gets discouraged that she’s not included” when friends decide for her that she won’t be able to participate in activities. She might say she can’t, but it’s nice to be asked. She usually uses a walker now. One advantage to using a walker, she said wryly, is people have stopped asking if she’s drunk. Because she — like virtually everyone with FA — gets exhausted, she sometimes uses a wheelchair. Her walker is the type that can convert to meet either need. She worries that one day she won’t be able to communicate well, that her increasingly slurred speech will be hard to understand. She doesn’t want to stop being funny and witty and amusing others. Meanwhile, the Fransens are blessed with nearby relatives who are very supportive and this little family is far from homebound. She still drives, though if someone else is available, Tiffany prefers they do it. She has a minivan that has room for the walker/wheelchair, while he drives a truck. They love to take their boys to the aquarium. They went to Disneyland not too long ago. Their home is a rambler with space on one floor that Tiffany can manage well. This month, their house is dressed up for Christmas, three cheerful snowmen in the front yard and a beautifully decorated Christmas tree in the living room. She smiles when she says that Robbie told her “Mom, you can’t run.” He’s right. But she can do other, far more important things, like read and tickle and treasure. For now, life is full and it’s enough. When only a stranger can save your 3-year-old

For the first time since 2001, BYU has won 12 games in a football season. And the Cougars accomplished the feat in one of college football’s most prestigious settings: the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Kalani Sitake’s squad stormed back in the fourth quarter to stun Georgia Tech 25-21 Saturday in Orlando, capturing the Pop-Tarts Bowl crown. Social media was buzzing about the Cougars. Here are some of the most notable reactions. > CHAMPS🏆 pic.twitter.com/uF3wnuWnZ8 > > — BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) December 28, 2025 > A CRAZY GOOD way to finish the season pic.twitter.com/2Dqvi9gTSl > > — BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) December 28, 2025 > BYU stands atop the Pop-Tart world‼️ > > The Cougars' 12 wins are their most since 2001 👏 pic.twitter.com/a2amkcY4RS > > — ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 27, 2025 > BYU Pop Tarts Bowl dub pic.twitter.com/wpGB4iLY9L > > — The ROC (@byuROC) December 28, 2025 > IT'S PICKED OFF IN THE END ZONE AND BYU WILL HOLD ON TO WIN THE POP-TARTS BOWL 💥 pic.twitter.com/zep6kAoMmj > > — FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 27, 2025 > BYU PICKS OFF HAYNES KING TO WIN THE POP-TARTS BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD! pic.twitter.com/cYB6VBI3HW > > — ESPN (@espn) December 28, 2025 > BYU QB Bear Bachmeier becomes the first player named after an animal to be named MVP of the Pop-Tart’s Bowl pic.twitter.com/tOBzwSLEwb > > — College Football Zone (@CollegeFBonX) December 28, 2025 > The people’s national champions pic.twitter.com/jr1r7Hdf3b > > — BYUtv Sports Nation (@BYUSportsNation) December 28, 2025 > I don't know what else we can say. This team rules. 12 wins. > > — Hype Train Podcast (@thehypetrainpod) December 27, 2025 > Gritty win amongst the red zone mistakes and backup players having bigger roles. Impressive defensive effort in the second half too 👊🏻 > > — Jackson Emery (@jacksonemery04) December 28, 2025 > BYU is a top 10 team and should’ve been in the @CFBPlayoff. pic.twitter.com/sXyrv5S951 > > — Kyle Ireland (@kyleireland) December 28, 2025 > BYU scored 8 more points and gained 150 more yards against GT than the SEC champion did btw > > — Joe Wheat (@joewheat27) December 28, 2025 > BYU is officially The People’s National Champions pic.twitter.com/Yr01ZLRPmx > > — Onyx (@OnyxOdds) December 28, 2025 > FINAL: BYU 25, Georgia Tech 21 > > * BYU finishes 12-2 > * First 12-win season since 2001 > * 23 total wins the last two seasons > * Four 10-win seasons in the last six years. > > BYU: Most underrated college football program in America. > > BY. FAR. 😤😤 pic.twitter.com/OrkqmT7pez > > — Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) December 28, 2025 > Down two best players. QB hobbled. Tough calls against. Bad turnover. Uninspired play for 3 quarters. > > BYU: We got this > > — Mark Durrant (@DurrantMark) December 28, 2025 > Great job on BYU hanging onto Kalani Sitake. > > His love for the program is apparent and they appreciate him. > > — RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 28, 2025 > BYU now 2-0 in dessert-related matchups this postseason with wins over Georgia Tech and Penn State > > — Rodger Sherman (@rodger) December 28, 2025

President Jeffrey R. Holland, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints died Saturday, December 27 at 3:15 a.m. MST, at age 85, from complications associated with kidney disease. Known for his words and the way he expressed them, President Holland will be remembered for the love he shared in nations around the world, where he taught and testified of the reality of Jesus Christ. An educator by profession, he inspired generations with his general conference talks, devotional addresses, missionary messages and social media posts. In almost every corner of the globe, he declared that the “gospel of Jesus Christ is personally precious, everlastingly hopeful and eternally true.” Along the way, he made friends — best friends — everywhere he went, sharing unmatched empathy and offering hope and encouragement. _To read the full story, visit TheChurchNews.com._

In my hometown located in Western Canada, hockey is as popular as basketball and football are here in Utah. For that reason, I’d seldom considered the questions that I now face every time hockey comes up in conversation. Here are the six questions I most frequently get, along with their answers. ### Is fighting allowed in hockey? Fighting is not expressly permitted, but it doesn’t get penalized nearly as heavily as it does in most sports. It results in a “major” penalty — five minutes, rather than the two given for minor penalties — but because both players involved typically get the same penalty, they cancel each other out. Neither team plays short-handed. Those involved players do have to sit out for five minutes, but the fighters are often guys that don’t play much anyway. It’s also worth noting that fighting is not allowed at certain levels of hockey, including: * All children’s levels * College * International * The QMJHL, one of the top major-junior leagues in Canada And to answer the question of why they fight, it often has to do with game management. It’s a way for players to police the game. When a player knows the Utah Mammoth’s Liam “Spicy Tuna” O’Brien is on the other side, he might be less likely to put a cheap hit on Clayton Keller. ### How do icing and offside work in hockey? First things first: In hockey, it’s “offside,” not “offsides.” With that out of the way, here’s how they work. The principle for offside is simple: “black over blue before you.” If your team crosses the blue line before the puck does, the play is stopped. It’s a way to prevent cherry-picking and Hail Mary passes. Icing is slightly more complicated. When a player on his team’s side of the ice shoots the puck all the way down, a race begins. If a player from the offensive team arrives at the top of the face-off circle first, play continues. If it’s the defensive team that gets there first, the whistle goes and the face-off comes all the way back to the other team’s end, which gives that defending team the opportunity to possess the puck in the offensive zone. Hockey is very much a game of zones, which is why these rules are important. The more time you possess the puck in the offensive zone, the more likely you are to score — and if you can keep the puck out of your own end, the other team’s chances of scoring are slim. ### I can’t see the puck. How do you follow the play? The answer to this question isn’t as straightforward as the others, but here’s the best answer: Pay attention to what everyone is doing, not just the player with the puck. For example, if a player dumps the puck into the zone, you can tell where it is by watching where the players go. And if a guy takes a shot and all of his teammates put their hands up, they’re probably celebrating a goal. Once you’ve watched a few games, you’ll start to pick it up. And don’t feel bad, either. I just went to my first college football game and I had a hard time seeing where the ball was most of the time. ### What on Earth is a ‘power play?’ “Power play” is a complicated name for a simple situation. When one team takes a penalty, the other team gets the advantage playing with more players on the ice. The advantage is called a power play. As mentioned, minor penalties last for two minutes, majors are five and occasionally you’ll see a double-minor, which is two minor penalties served consecutively by the same player. ### How can you move up in the standings even if you lose in overtime? Some major pro sports use a win/loss system, while others, including the NHL, base the standings on points. In the NHL, a win is worth two points, an overtime or shootout loss is worth one and a regulation loss is worth zero. In the current system, the top three teams in each division automatically make the playoffs, and an additional two teams from each conference qualify as wild cards. It benefits teams to win in regulation rather than overtime because it not only allows them to gain points, but it also prevents opposing teams from getting them. For example, when the Mammoth blew a 3-0 lead to the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday, they were disappointed — even though they pulled off the win in overtime. That’s because they’re battling with the Jets for a playoff spot, so they want to limit their success as much as they can. ### What’s the difference between goals and points? “Points” has two distinct meanings in hockey: As explained in the above subsection, teams accrue points over the course of a year. Additionally, players score points throughout the year, which have nothing to do with points in the standings. How are those points calculated? Goals + assists = points. Each goal can have up to two assists awarded with it. Those are awarded to the last two players to control the puck before the goal scorer, unless the opposing team had controlled it more recently. For example, on the play shown below, Mikhail Sergachev passed it to Sean Durzi, who passed it to Alexander Kerfoot, who scored. Sergachev and Durzi got assists, while Kerfoot was credited with the goal. All three players’ point totals increased, too. > Back like he never left! 👏 > > 🚨 Kerfy makes it 3-0, Mammoth! pic.twitter.com/3mA0oqkkkS > > — Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) December 22, 2025 ### Other questions? I know I didn’t cover nearly every question new hockey fans have. If there are other things you’re wondering about, leave a question in either the comment section of this article or that on the social media site where you saw it. If there are enough questions, I’ll write a second part shortly. In the meantime, check out these other “Hockey 101″ articles. Hockey 101: How do players know when to sub out? Hockey 101: What’s the difference between clean and dirty hits? Hockey 101: How do starters work in the NHL?

_The Deseret News is providing live coverage of Saturday’s Pop-Tarts Bowl between BYU and Georgia Tech. Check back for updates throughout the game._ ### Second quarter **5:15** — In less than 15 seconds, Georgia Tech went from being down by three points to leading by two scores. The Yellow Jackets immediately capitalized on Hagen’s fumble with another passing touchdown from the arm of Haynes King. **Georgia Tech 21, BYU 10.** Despite holding possession for nearly five more minutes than Georgia Tech, the Cougars still trail by 11 points and will have quite the uphill climb ahead of them. **5:19** — Disaster for BYU. Following Georgia Tech’s go-ahead score, Cody Hagen fumbled the ensuing kick return, with the Yellow Jackets jumping on the football for the first turnover of the game. **Georgia Tech 14, BYU 10.** Georgia Tech will get the football at the BYU 5-yard line. **5:28** — It’s officially a shootout. Georgia Tech takes its first lead of the day on a 5-yard passing touchdown from Haynes King to Eric Rivers. **Georgia Tech 14, BYU 10.** > Into the end zone with Rivers 💥 > > 📺 ABC#StingEm 🐝 pic.twitter.com/tb26g0SqhQ > > — Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) December 27, 2025 **9:49** — Will Ferrin puts BYU ahead with a 22-yard field goal. **BYU 10, Georgia Tech 7.** Through three drives, the Cougars have racked up 192 yards of offense, though their lack of running back depth has already hurt at times. Tight end Carsen Ryan has had a loud start to the day, catching five passes for 81 yards. ### First quarter **BYU 7, Georgia Tech 7** **0:20** — Georgia Tech ties it up. The Yellow Jackets drove 75 yards on 10 plays, scoring on a fourth down fake field goal turned direct snap touchdown from Trelain Maddox. **BYU 7, Georgia Tech 7.** > TOUCHDOWN MADDOX 🗣️ > 3 YARD PUNCH IN! > > 📺 ABC#StingEm 🐝 pic.twitter.com/7b5XlUsG8R > > — Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) December 27, 2025 **4:56** — BYU gets on the board first. Bear Bachmeier connected with senior Chase Roberts for a 7-yard touchdown to cap a five-play, 62-yard drive. **BYU 7, Georgia Tech 0.** > TOASTED EM. > > 📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/XpS8rP0MRn > > — BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) December 27, 2025 Roberts now has six touchdowns on the season and 18 for his eventful, lauded career. **8:39** — BYU’s lengthy opening drive ends with nothing to show for it. The Cougars drove 74 yards down the field in 12 plays, only for reserve running back Enoch Nawahine to be stopped just inches from the goal line on fourth down. **BYU 0, Georgia Tech 0.** > Georgia Tech gets a BIG time stop just inches short pic.twitter.com/5Bu3UXpa3L > > — FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 27, 2025 With LJ Martin and Sione Moa both sidelined, BYU has been forced to throw more than usual, with Bear Bachmeier beginning 6 of 7 in passing for 56 yards. However, Bachmeier appeared to aggravate a previous ankle injury during the drive. Keep an eye on how he looks health-wise moving forward today. ### How to watch the game The Pop-Tarts Bowl will be broadcast on ABC and can be streamed through the ESPN app. ### Pregame prep Here are a few stories to get you ready for the Pop-Tarts Bowl between BYU and Georgia Tech. Focus is on No. 12 BYU’s depleted offense on eve of showdown with No. 22 Georgia Tech Can BYU’s defense contain Georgia Tech’s ‘intricate’ offense with three weeks to prepare? BYU’s offense without LJ Martin will be an intriguing experiment 3 things BYU must do to defeat Georgia Tech 10 moments that defined the 2025 football season for BYU Cougars Commemorating BYU’s 50-year (1974-2024) bowl history: The good, the bad and the wacky

Wait a minute, what just happened? One day, Kyle Whittingham — Utah’s all-time winningest coach and the second-longest tenured coach in the country after 21 years — stepped aside, at age 66, without any stated plans for the future. Two weeks later he pops up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he is named head coach at the University of Michigan, a legendary football school with a dozen national championships and a 100,000-seat stadium. The Utes didn’t get in the Big Ten, but Whittingham did. There’s more to the story than we’ve been told. It never passed anybody’s smell test. Right from the start, there was speculation. The whole thing seems odd — the strange, coach-in-waiting plan that was announced in 2024, the ridiculous “advisory role”/golden parachute arrangement, the timing. Whittingham stated less than a week after announcing his decision that he was not retiring, joking that he was entering “the transfer portal.” Was he doing some foreshadowing even then? Was he already playing footsies with the Wolverines? On Dec. 10, Michigan fired head coach Sherrone Moore in what was an embarrassing scandal. Two days later Whittingham announced that he was stepping down as Utah’s head coach. “The time is right to step down from my position as the head football coach at the University of Utah,” Whittingham said in a press release. Notwithstanding, does anyone believe he really wanted to leave, that he didn’t want to continue at Utah with many key players returning from a 10-win season? During his entire 40-year coaching career, Whittingham never wandered farther away from Utah than Idaho State (160 miles north) or College of Eastern Utah (60 miles south). He was a homebody by coaching standards. He’s been on the Utah staff since 1994. His family lives in Utah. He went to high school in Provo and college at BYU. He coached at Utah for three decades as an assistant and a head coach, and along the way he reportedly refused overtures from other schools — BYU and Tennessee among them. Now suddenly, the fourth-oldest head coach in the nation was quitting and starting over at Michigan? Analysis: Kyle Whittingham named Michigan’s head coach Morgan Scalley takes charge of Utah in Las Vegas after Kyle Whittingham leaves for Michigan The machinations that led to this were set in motion almost 18 months ago, when the Utes announced that Morgan Scalley, Utah’s 46-year-old defensive coordinator, was the “Head Coach in Waiting.” On July 1, 2024, athletic director Mark Harlan announced that Scalley had been formally designated as Utah’s head coach in waiting. He would inherit the job when Whittingham retired, in which case the outgoing coach would continue in an “advisory” role that would pay him roughly $3.5 million per year. Was this meant as a way to soften the blow if he ever had to be encouraged to move on? It was a weird, awkward arrangement. On the one hand, Whittingham would continue as head coach for an undetermined amount of time while his younger, popular replacement looked over his shoulder; on the other hand, if Whittingham retired, Scalley would become the head coach while his former boss and the greatest coach in Utah history looked over _his_ shoulder. Who came up with this arrangement, Michael Scott? When Whittingham did announce his impending departure two weeks ago, it led to much speculation. It’s not a big stretch to imagine that Whittingham wanted to stay, that Utah officials felt it was time to move on, time to give the job to Scalley rather than risk losing him to another school. Some insiders say Scalley was getting restless and wondered if he should pursue something else, specifically the Stanford head coaching job. It’s difficult to imagine how Utah officials could have handled this situation worse than they did, although they were in a bind. Either they had to part ways with a legend or risk losing his bright, promising “coach-in-waiting.” It’s the same position the Green Bay Packers found themselves in when they drafted Aaron Rodgers while Brett Favre was still on top of his game, and again years later when they drafted Jordan Love while Aaron Rodgers was still on top of his game; at some point the Packers had to make the painful decision to move on from two legendary players. They left angry and hurt. Whittingham may have felt the same way after all he had done for Utah’s football program. After all the dust settled this week, Whittingham emerged as the undisputed winner in this drama. He made a bold leap for the Michigan job knowing that he had the highly paid “advisory” role at Utah as a fallback plan. What Utah AD Mark Harlan and Kyle Whittingham said after former Utah coach was hired by Michigan It was a no-lose situation for him. If he landed the Michigan job, he secured a pay raise and a program that greatly increased his chance of reaching the College Football Playoff and a national championship. If he fails to deliver at the school, he’s old enough to retire and he’ll do so with a nice buyout. Michigan reportedly gave him a five-year contract with an average salary of $8.2 million, 75% of it guaranteed. His salary at Utah was about $6.5 million. Utah, on the other hand, is in a far more precarious position. This could blow up in the Utes’ faces. The pressure is on Scalley and Utah officials. If the program starts a downturn, they look foolish for not finding a way to retain Whittingham, who just completed a 10-2 season to cap an amazing run at the school. He guided the Utes to three conference championships, two Rose Bowl appearances, 18 winning seasons, one unbeaten season, a win over mighty Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, and 10 top-25 finishes in the national polls (including No. 2 and No. 4), all of which resulted in two national Coach of the Year awards. The Utes gave up a nearly sure thing in Whittingham to see if they could rise to another level with the next guy. It was a strange end to Whittingham’s tenure at Utah, one that saw the Utes achieve an unprecedented sustained level of excellence. On Friday, he reportedly told his Utah players that he will not coach them in the Las Vegas Bowl; instead, he will fly to Orlando to meet his new team, which is preparing to play Texas in the Citrus Bowl. He has already begun his new job, and just like that he is leaving Utah behind while Scalley takes his place on the sideline in Las Vegas.

Utah has led nationally in online child protection, advancing age verification policies and urging platforms to ensure safe experiences for young users. While these efforts show consensus on the need for age assurance, Utah’s experience also highlights the limitations of a patchwork, state-by-state approach, which causes confusion, compliance issues and gaps that children can exploit. The focus now is on implementing age assurance effectively. The App Store Accountability Act (ASAA) falls short by imposing heavy verification on all apps, including low-risk educational tools, forcing families to share unnecessary sensitive data. This broad approach increases data collection, expands access to personal info and complicates parental oversight. The Parents Over Platforms Act (POPA), introduced by Representatives Auchincloss and Houchin, targets risky platforms while sparing low-risk apps by small developers, including many in Utah. It closes loopholes by applying protections across apps and browsers, ensuring safeguards follow the child, not just the app store. POPA strengthens privacy by using a simple age-range signal set during device setup, rather than ID uploads, and provides parents with a single, clear dashboard to manage controls. Utah families deserve solutions that improve safety without sacrificing privacy. POPA delivers that balance, and Congress should move it forward. _Jodee Leyba_ _St. George_

A Clearfield High fundraiser raised more than $100,000 to strengthen security measures at Safe Harbor Crisis Center.

In a session at the University of Utah on Dec. 15, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and former governors Gary Herbert and Mike Leavitt addressed the coarse political climate in the United States today. It was particularly exemplified in President Donald Trump’s woefully callous and inappropriate response to film director Rob Reiner’s death. Herbert specifically called on Republicans to “hold our candidates to a higher standard.” He added: “Why do we tolerate people that call others names, don’t show any kind of respect or civility to the opposition?” Yes, why? But also, why now? Why not 10 years ago, when Donald Trump first entered the national stage as a presidential candidate? At that time, he said the same kinds of things he says now. He mocked disabled people. He called Mexican immigrants murderers and rapists. He considered Democrats to be “enemies of the people,” a popular phrase in 1930s Nazi Germany. Then, he was just as insulting, just as disrespectful, just as lacking in civility as he is now. Perspective: Rob Reiner, Donald Trump and the post that even MAGA can’t defend Yet, some Republican leaders, both in Utah and nationally, remained largely silent and continued to support Trump regardless of his offensive behavior. Then, they did not call on Republicans to hold their leaders to a higher standard. They did not use their position to condemn him at that time for his derogatory language and behavior. Over the past decade there have been repeated occasions when they could have spoken out. A few, very few relatively, did condemn Trump’s attitudes and behavior at various times. One of the first was Mitt Romney. Romney did so repeatedly while Trump was president, even voting twice to remove him from office for his behavior. Another was Jeff Flake. Flake, disgusted by how Trump acted, publicly urged Republicans to choose “country over party” and not support Trump. Still others in the past decade have included former Rep. Liz Cheney. She was willing to take on Trump after January 6, 2021. Similarly, former Rep. Adam Kinzinger called out Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. And former Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers refused to violate his constitutional oath of office and blocked Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the presidential election results in Arizona. Impressively, these Republicans valued their honor over their ability to remain in office. They knew they would pay a political price for their courage. However, history will judge them favorably for standing up for their principles at a time when those principles had become unpopular with their own partisans. Opinion: Kinzinger and Cheney deserve respect, not censure This past dark decade of the history of the Republican Party has had few heroes. Imagine how different the last decade would have been had many more Republican leaders stood up much earlier, such as when Trump first ran for president. There would not have been a decade of coarsened public discourse led by, of all people, the president of the United States. There would not have been the big lie that the 2020 election was stolen. There would have been no January 6. The petty, vengeful prosecutions of opponents would not have happened. Indeed, there would still be an East Wing of the White House. It is likely the Republicans would have won the White House at least once during the last decade. But they would have done so with someone who appreciated public decency and civility such as Nikki Haley, Jeb Bush or Mike Pence. The country would have been better off with a Republican like them rather than Donald Trump. For too long, nearly all Republican leaders, both in Utah and the nation, were complicit in Donald Trump’s behavior. They said little or nothing. It is good they are finally saying something now. But how different things might have been had they done so a decade ago.