He puts his mine hat on and goes down the elevator to the mine every day. It doesn’t matter to him. – Utah defensive coordinator John Pease said.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah defensive coordinator John Pease has an apt description of junior defensive end Hunter Dimick. He compares him to a miner, complete with the light on the front of his helmet.
“He puts his mine hat on and goes down the elevator to the mine every day,” Pease said. “It doesn’t matter to him.”
Dimick, who racked up 14.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks last season, is all business on the field and takes his work seriously.
“Words can’t explain how dominant he is. He’s a tenacious defender. He never stops,” said teammate Jason Fanaika, a senior slated to be Utah’s other starting defensive end. “That’s one thing that I envy about him — is his motor. He won’t stop until he gets the job done. If he doesn’t get the job done he’ll come back the next play and make sure.”
Fanaika had even more praise for Dimick.
“That’s one guy that you never have to worry about trying to get up because he’s already going to be there,” Fanaika said. “He’s going to give his whole effort and he’s going to be a great example for everybody else to follow.”
Dimick’s leadership role will be even bigger this season as Utah tries to fill the void left by Nate Orchard’s departure to the NFL’s Cleveland Browns. The All-American and Ted Hendricks Award winner led the nation with 1.46 sacks per game. Orchard, who started opposite Dimick at defensive end, had 21 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks as a senior.
While noting ends and effective pass rushers on the depth chart like Fanaika, Kylie Fitts and Pita Taumoepenu playing opposite Dimick, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham is hopeful that the Utes’ national-leading sack production will continue.
As the most experienced of the group, Dimick is taking on an increased leadership role.
“Without a doubt,” Whittingham said. “He’s just a junior, so he’s got one more year, but he’s definitely vocal.”
Whittingham added that Dimick is on the team’s leadership council, elected by his peers.
On the field, Dimick is hopeful to improve his numbers.
“I would like to produce more just as a personal goal, not necessarily because I feel more pressure,” he said.
Dimick is determined to do whatever it takes to help the Utes reload. He’s most likely the frontrunner as the Utes seek a new mayor of “Sack Lake City” without Orchard.
“I’m going to try. I’m definitely going to try,” Dimick said of upping his productive to even greater heights. “Obviously it’s going to hurt with Nate gone, but Jason Fanaika is going to do a real good job for us I think.”
Dimick expressed confidence in the defensive line as a whole. So does Fanaika.
“It’s good. It’s a good place to be especially when you have someone so dominant on the other side in Hunter,” he said. “ And then have awesome guys on the inside.”
Lowell Lotulelei and Filipo Mokofisi are the current depth-chart toppers at left and right tackle, respectively. Stevie Tu’ikolovatu and Seni Fauonuku are also in the mix in the middle.
“There’s life after Nate,” Whittingham said. “Nate was a vital cog in our defense last year, but he’s moved on and we’ve got to have the other guys pick up the slack and they’re doing just that.”
Pease agrees. While discussing the ends, specifically, he noted that the Utes have four quality ones.
“I feel real good about them,” he said, adding that they have a chance to be real good.
Pease noted that Taumoepenu has gotten more disciplined and dangerous. He said that Fitts (a UCLA transfer) is big-time and that Fanaika is solid. Pease added that his biggest problem now is deciding who is going to start. Taumoepenu, he explained, could cause all kinds of problems on third down.
“It’s really a nice combination we have,” Pease said.
Fanaika, meanwhile, is happy to be in the mix. Besides defensive end, he also saw action at outside linebacker (six starts) last season.
“It’s nice. (Defensive end) is where I’ve kind of made my home in the past,” Fanaika said. “Coach Pease has done a phenomenal job in helping me with the transition as far as just staying there and staying put there.”
Fanaika will switch sides with Dimick depending on matchups. And that, Fanaika explained, is also nice because it’ll be a plus to know both sides in preparation for playing at the next level.
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