Utah Football 2015 – Better, worse or about the same?
UTAH OFFENSE
Utah still has a lot of question marks surrounding its offense; however, I believe the Utes will be better than last year.
For starters, Utah has a senior quarterback in Travis Wilson that knows the system and has an offensive coordinator that believes in him. In spring, Wilson looked free and unencumbered as he picked up where he left off last year at the Las Vegas Bowl where he was named the game’s MVP. Wilson is certainly not perfect, but he’s currently the best option Utah has. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The Utes also bring back four of its five starting offensive linemen and one of the best running backs in the Pac-12.
Running back Devontae Booker will carry Utah’s offense anywhere it needs to go and will make up for any struggles in the passing game. If Booker can stay healthy, Utah could have a very special year under Booker. Having experienced linemen will only help the situation here.
The biggest question surrounding the offense is the lack of experience at the receiver position. Kenneth Scott is the big name here, but he’s still a bit of an unknown at times. If he can find a way to get involved and have an impact on the game, Utah is in a good position.
However, it takes more than one receiver to be effective in the Pac-12. Moving Bubba Poole to slot receiver is a great fix to the inexperience at the receiver position and it gives Poole an opportunity to have an impact on the game — an opportunity he’s more than ready and capable of doing.
Adding Tim Patrick, who is coming off a season-ending injury, should give Utah a good core of starters. There are several other receivers lying in wait, but more needs to be seen from them in game situations to really understand their potential.
UTAH DEFENSE
Is it possible to be better than last year’s defense? Yes, and I think Utah will be even better. The defense is head coach Kyle Whittingham’s bread and butter, and he’s not about to let things slip after losing former defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake to Oregon State.
Utah looks primed to bounce back with another resilient, stout defense and several players capable of taking over where Nate a Orchard left off.
The front seven is going to be a nasty bunch, with several reserves equally capable to make their mark. Hunter Dimick looks to be the favorite to take over the role as mayor of “Sack Lake City.” Last season, Dimick was a disrupter on the line and was very difficult to stop in his pursuit of the quarterback. Equally ready to step up is nose tackle Lowell Lotulelei; defensive end Jason Fanaika; and linebackers Gionni Paul, Jared Norris and Jason Whittingham.
The secondary, too, is much improved from last year, pending the sustained health of many of the team’s starters. Tevin Carter is a major impact player for Utah’s defense. His speed and ability to find the ball make him a strong favorite in this group.
Utah will get back Reggie Porter, who suffered a season-ending injury before the season started, as one of their best returning defenders in the secondary. Receiver-turned-DB Brian Allen is one name Utah fans should look out for. In spring, Allen turned some heads and really proved his worth on the defense. Dominique Hatfield has so much potential and is really starting to warm up. Hatfield will be even better this year than last.
BUY OR SELL?
Utah has a very hard road ahead, particularly with its top 10 most difficult schedule, according to Phil Steele. Utah has the makings to be better than they were last year, especially if the offense can actually click. Utah won nine games with an anemic passing game and a quarterback battle that wasn’t settled until Kendal Thompson sustained a season-ending injury late in the year.
However, Utah could also struggle to become bowl eligible in a very difficult South Division. The South is one of the most competitive divisions in all of college football, but Utah has the potential to come out on top.
With a favorable road schedule, and seven home games, there’s no reason Utah can’t win at least nine games going into a bowl game. I do, however, see 10 wins (regular season) being the ceiling for this program. But I wouldn’t be surprised if they find a way to win more.
Josh Furlong, the News & Sports Managing Editor for ksl.com provided the information for our Utah Football 2015 Spring recap. For more Utah football information, commentary and analysis, you can follow Josh on Twitter @JFurKSL.
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