A two-back look, three new quarterbacks, new assistants, new assignments and new systems everywhere.
There's so much different stuff going on with Utah's football team that spring practices — which begin today at 10 a.m. — will be closed to the public until the spring game/scrimmage on April 21.
Coach Ron McBride doesn't mind talking about the changes, but he doesn't want spies, and he doesn't want distractions with so much to implement in the 15 days allowed by the NCAA for spring ball.
With a new offensive coordinator, receivers coach, safeties coach and Alex Gerke returning to help the offensive line after a year's absence, and with Gary Andersen adding the responsibilities of assistant head coach and special-teams coach to his defensive-tackles position, there are lots of new ideas.
The biggest is the new style of offense that will incorporate two running backs. The team went to that sometime last year when massive line injuries and inexperienced tailbacks forced a need for more blocking, but now it will be done as part of the overall scheme.
Offensive coordinator Craig Ver Steeg, a former Ute assistant, comes in from the University of Illinois with a system that adds two backs to a spread West Coast-style game with a layered passing look. With running backs moving to receiving positions, fewer substitutions should keep defenses guessing.
"It seems to fit our personnel. It's a different concept from 1990, when I first came here (as head coach)," McBride said. "It's partly what (Ver Steeg's) experience is, and, in interviewing all the coordinators, his approach was what we wanted to move into."
Terminology doesn't change.
Implementing the new offense will be a veteran line, tight ends and running backs. Nearly all starters and backups return in those positions. Quarterback Lance Rice, who started some games late last season, has competition from redshirt freshman Brett Elliott and sophomore transfer Ryan Breska, who originally went to Purdue. Veterans Cliff Russell and Josh Lyman lead a young group of receivers.
Finding a starting quarterback and a reliable group of four or five receivers is a spring goal. "Quarterback is wide open," McBride said, but Breska and Elliott spent last season working with the team, and the coach liked their intelligence and dedication. "They were great examples for the whole team. That's a good start right there.
"It's not a position that makes me nervous," he says.
There are more personnel questions on defense, where much of the backfield will be new or inexperienced. Safety Arnold Parker, a sophomore, is the one real defensive-back veteran. Both corners, the nickel back and the free safety are inexperienced positions. "We've got to find out who's numbers 1-2-3 " at those spots, McBride said.
Linebackers, led by Sheldon Deckart, who moves to rover from the middle, have some experience, but backups are new. Lauvale Sape moves to Ma'ake Kemoeatu's noseguard spot, and if Kemoeatu's petition for another year from the NCAA is granted, he'll move to end after shedding weight. Line backups need to emerge.
"The defense will be young, but there's players there. The key is to develop these players," McBride said.
Coaching changes include Ver Steeg, Gerke, safeties coach Bill Busch (New Mexico State) and receivers coach Vincent White (Arizona State), who replaces Fred Graves, who went to the NFL's Buffalo Bills.
Andersen's new title makes him McBride's right-hand man for all team matters, replacing Graves. McBride prefers not to have a coordinator in that position because they have enough to worry about, and he may call his assistant head coach at 3 a.m. if problems arise. Defensive coordinator Kyle Whittingham and offensive line coach Don Eck both received new titles of "associate coach." Whittingham takes over the linebackers.
The spring game on April 21 will be open to the public and free of charge. It is tentatively scheduled for 1-3 p.m. at the McCarthey Practice Fields.
E-mail: lham@desnews.com