SALT LAKE CITY — It’s been a preseason of firsts for the Utah Utes. After eight years in the Pac-12, they finished atop the Pac-12’s annual media poll for the first time — being tabbed as the team to beat for both the South Division title and the conference championship.
Utah also received its highest preseason rankings in the national polls. The Utes enter the upcoming campaign 14th in the Associated Press Top 25 and 15th in the coaches poll.
Expectations are high, obviously, for a program coming off its first outright division crown.
“If we handle it the right way, it can become a positive.” — Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, on the expectations surrounding his team
At Pac-12 Media Day, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham expressed excitement about the team the Utes have taking the field this season and the positive prognostications.
“I think that works both ways. It’s a positive in the respect that we’ve got guys that acknowledge that we’ve got some good players coming back on our team, and it’s really an accolade for our players and a level of ability that they have,” he said. “Can be a negative if you read too much into it. We know it’s not going to do anything for us during the season as far as helping us win a game. All it can do is get us sidetracked if we let it during our preparation. If we handle it the right way, it can become a positive.”
Utah’s schedule includes home games against Northern Illinois, Idaho State, Washington State, Arizona State, California, UCLA and Colorado. Road dates are slated for BYU, USC, Oregon State, Washington and Arizona.
The Utes went 9-5 last season, including a 6-3 mark in Pac-12 play.
Offense
The return of Andy Ludwig as offensive coordinator has been a positive. Whittingham said the players have bought into Ludwig’s scheme and believe in what he’s doing.
Whittingham considers the “buy-in factor” to be the “biggest thing” for the offense.
Senior quarterback Tyler Huntley has reclaimed his starting job after missing the final five games of 2018 with an injury. Utah is 12-7 when Huntley starts. The Utes also have an experienced running back in senior Zack Moss. He’s closing in on becoming the leading rusher in program history and could become the first Ute to reach 1,000 yards in a season three times.
At wide receiver, the Utes have a handful of veterans including Britain Covey. The junior has 103 career receptions and has topped the team in catches in both of his previous seasons. Other receivers to watch include senior Demari Simpkins, junior Samson Nacua and sophomore Jaylen Dixon. The trio made a combined 89 catches last year. Sophomores Cole Fotheringham and Brant Kuithe are the leading tight ends.
The offensive line has been restructured after graduation losses. Utah is opening the season with junior Orlando Umana at center. The other projected starters include senior Darrin Paulo at left tackle, sophomore Nick Ford at right tackle and redshirt freshman Braeden Daniels at left guard. The right spot will have a rotation featuring senior Paul Toala and freshman Johnny Maea.
The Utes are hopeful to get junior college All-American Bamidele Olaseni in the mix at tackle. He’s waiting for NCAA clearance in play in games.
“We think we’re going to hopefully take a step forward this year offensively,” Whittingham said.
Utah was seventh in the Pac-12 in total offense last season with 395.5 yards per game.
Defense
The strength of the team, quite literally, is the defense. Utah may have the nation’s top defensive line with All-America candidates Bradlee Anae and Leki Fotu. The returning first-team all-conference honorees are joined by fellow senior John Penisini, a second-team Pac-12 selection on a deep and talented position group. Fotu and Penisini are the starters at tackle, while Anae mans the outside. Junior Maxs Tupai and sophomore Mika Tafua have starting experience on the other end of the line.
Reserves of note include Hawaii transfer Viane Moala and veteran Hauati Pututau. The junior tackles are joined in the defensive line mix by freshman end Semisi Lauaki.
“On paper, could very well be as good a defensive line if not the best we’ve ever had,” Whittingham acknowledged. “But you’ve got to go out and prove it every week.”
If there’s a position in need of proof, it may be at linebacker. The graduation losses of Cody Barton and Chase Hansen — last season’s leaders in tackles — have left a big void. BYU transfer Francis Bernard and Penn State graduate Manny Bowen were ticketed to fill the slots. However, Bowen opted to retire just before camp opened, leaving the Utes shorthanded. Bernard, who is poised for a big senior year, will now be paired with sophomore Devon Lloyd as the starters at linebacker. Stanford transfer Sione Lund and junior college product Trennan Carlson are projected to be the top reserves.
Utah’s secondary is solid with senior standouts Jaylon Johnson and Julian Blackmon patrolling cornerback and safety spots, respectively. Blackmon switched positions as the Utes move forward without Marquise Blair and Corrion Ballard. Senior Terrell Burgess is slated to be the other starting safety. Another senior, Tareke Lewis, is slated to join All-America candidate Johnson at cornerback. Junior Javelin Guidry is back at nickel.
Special teams
It remains to be seen how the Utes will fare without the talented duo of kicker Matt Gay and punter Mitch Wishnowsky. The NFL draft picks proved to be powerful weapons. Gay is being replaced by UCLA graduate transfer Andrew Strauch, who emerged as the heir apparent late in camp.
“It’s been a lot of years since that’s been a question mark,” Whittingham said of the kicking game. “So hopefully we come away with a kid that can get the job done. We’re confident that’ll happen.”
At punter, Utah is continuing its Australian pipeline with freshman Ben Lennon. He’s made an immediate impression on the Utes and was chosen to be a captain before ever playing a game with the program.
“That’s how much his teammates think of him and that’s the kind of job he’s done for us throughout the spring and fall camp,” Whittingham said.
Covey is back returning kicks after netting first-team All-Pac-12 recognition last season. He led Utah with 1,174 all-purpose yards — 221 off of punt returns and 144 more on kickoffs.