ɐ ɡɹˈædʒuːət ʌv kˈɛnədi kˈæθlɪk hˈaɪ skˈuːl nˌɪɹ siːˈæɾəl, ˈʌtli ɐtˈɛndᵻd wˈɑːʃɪŋtən stˈeɪt jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ɪn pˈʊlmən ænd wʌzɐ sˈiːnjɚɹ ɔnðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi ˈeɪt kˈuːɡɚ tˈiːm wˌɪtʃ tɹˈaɪʌmft æt ðɪ ɐlˈoʊhə bˈoʊl, wˈɑːʃɪŋtən stˈeɪtz fˈɜːst bˈoʊl vˈɪktɚɹi sˈɪns ðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪkstiːn ɹˈoʊz bˈoʊl.
A graduate of Kennedy Catholic High School near Seattle, Utley attended Washington State University in Pullman and was a senior on the 1988 Cougar team which triumphed at the Aloha Bowl, Washington State's first bowl victory since the 1916 Rose Bowl.