Brian Johnson locked in early. The Utah quarterback completed his first eight passes in Saturday's scrimmage at the McCarthey Practice Fields.
"He took another step forward today," said head coach Kyle Whittingham. "I was very impressed with his leadership and his poise. He doesn't get flustered and that's a great attribute to have in a quarterback."
Johnson wound up completing 14-of-20 passes for 197 yards in the situational scrimmage. He also rushed for a team-high 68 yards on 11 carries — scoring a touchdown on a 15-yard run.
"Brian Johnson is doing a very nice job. He's a very hard-working, intelligent young man with a lot of athletic ability," said offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig. "I think he's going to be a very good quarterback for us."
Johnson, the heir apparent to NFL-bound Alex Smith, also excelled in red-zone situations. He threw touchdown passes to Fano Tagovailoa and Brent Casteel and rushed for two other scores.
"We're getting better and better each day," said Johnson. "Today was a big step forward."
Ball security and coming out with poise each possession, Johnson explained, are two important traits the offense displayed — especially in the red zone.
"Once we get this thing rolling I think we're really going to be tough to stop," said Johnson. "So far, so good. Everything's looking excellent."
Shovel passes, option plays and five-wide sets are still part of the offensive scheme. Some pro sets are being added to the mix, however, as the Utes seek a more balanced attack designed to highlight the skills of personnel.
"I think the offense is progressing, but we've got a lot of detail work to clean up. I think the offense, right now, is still in its infancy stages," said Ludwig, who came to Utah from Oregon in the staff overhaul created by Urban Meyer's departure to Florida. "We've got a lot of work ahead of us. We've got to get a lot of work done these last three practices and have a crisp Red & White Game."
In their final scrimmage before next Saturday's spring finale at Rice-Eccles Stadium, the Utes had 10 receivers make catches and nine runners gain positive yardage. Ludwig was especially pleased with the play of Johnson, Casteel, wide receiver Travis LaTendresse, the running backs and offensive line.
"I'm not satisfied," said Ludwig. "But we're making progress."
Defensive coordinator Gary Andersen has similar feelings. Spring ball has provided an opportunity for several young players to gain valuable experience.
"They're running hard to the ball which is our No. 1 priority — to play with red-line effort. I think we're getting that out of the kids," said Andersen. "We've got a big package in their right now and I think the kids are handling it relatively well."
Among those stepping forward is sophomore Martail Burnett. The defensive end made three sacks in the scrimmage. Others with notable performances include defensive tackle Kelly Talavou, cornerback Eugene Oates, as well as linebackers Malakai Mokofisi, Reggie Turner and Grady Marshall.
"I'm pleased with where we're at," said Andersen. "There's a lot of competition out there and we'll continue to keep it up."
The most spirited competition is at safety . Four competitors are seeking to play alongside Eric Weddle next fall. Casey Evans, Antonio Young, Tim Harris and Steve Tate are working for the spot.
"Those four kids are battling their tails off out there," said Andersen. "I'm happy with all four of them."
Utah's staff had an even better reason to smile Saturday. The Utes managed to stay healthy.
"My main concern in spring football is keeping the health of the team intact," said Whittingham. "You've got to get the work done — there's no way around that — but you've got to be smart at the same time. I thought we got a lot of good work done today with very minimal wear and tear."
EXTRA POINTS: Wide receiver Derrek Richards led the Utes with four catches. Brian Hernandez and Cody Sorensen finished with three and two, respectively . . . Quinton Ganther rushed for 26 yards on three carries . . . Kicker Dan Beardall connected on a 33-yard field goal . . . Linebacker Joe Jiannoni broke up two passes . . . Walk-on quarterback Danny Southwick completed two passes for 18 yards . . . Utah resumes spring practices on Tuesday.
E-mail: dirk@desnews.com