Despite having to replace its best defensive player, Utah’s defense will be in a much better place on Jan. 2, 2023 that it was on Jan 1, 2022.
In the 2022 Rose Bowl game, the Utes were decimated by injuries at cornerback, which forced Micah Bernard, a running back, to fill in at the position. Bernard, who played both ways, tried valiantly but was targeted often as Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud threw a Rose Bowl-record 573 passing yards and six touchdowns in the Buckeyes’ win.
“Last year it was brutal to have so many injuries and guys that couldn’t play and to go that far down on the depth chart. So to be in this situation we’re in now, we’re just grateful,” Utah safety R.J. Hubert said.
Utah cornerback Clark Phillips III opted out of this year’s Rose Bowl and declared for the NFL draft, so the Utes will be without their top defensive player in their biggest game of the season.
Phillips III will be among the top cornerbacks available in the 2023 NFL draft. This season, he has six interceptions, which ranks second in the country. Two of those interceptions were returned for touchdowns. The 5-foot-10, 183-pound cornerback also had 24 tackles and six pass breakups.
He was a unanimous All-American this season, the first-ever for Utah on offense or defense.
“Clark Phillips, he’s one of a kind. ... He’s a great leader, so being around him just makes you push himself more and go harder in everything you do,” cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn said.
“Clark was a big help. He was a big difference-maker on defense. As you know, he’s very productive,” Hubert said.
It will be hard for the Utes to replace Phillips’ production, but luckily for Utah, this season it has healthy cornerbacks for this year’s Rose Bowl.
“To not have to move somebody from one position to another, that is a big plus for us this year,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.
JaTravis Broughton has been the starter at left cornerback this season. He’s totaled 41 tackles, registered a sack and has broken up two passes. Faybian Marks hasn’t played since the UCLA game in early October, but could be part of the rotation with Phillips III sitting out.
Sione Vaki has been the nickel back starter since the Washington State game and Caine Savage has spent time at nickel back this season, too. Vaki has 33 tackles, a forced fumble and three pass breakups, while Savage has six tackles.
The most likely candidate to fill in for Phillips III at right cornerback is Vaughn, a sophomore.
Listed behind Phillips III at right cornerback on the Utes’ latest depth chart, Vaughn has played in all 13 games this season, and has started six games, including three at right cornerback.
“We’ve all pretty much been rotating, so nothing different, just do it better,” Vaughn said.
The 6-foot-2, 178-pound Vaughn leads the team in pass breakups with nine this season and has 22 tackles. He’s forced a fumble and recovered a fumble this year.
“In (Phillip III’s) absence, we have faith in the guys that are coming up, JT and Zemaiah, that that will play,” Hubert said.
In the Pac-12 championship win over USC, Vaughn had four tackles. In last season’s Pac-12 championship game win over Oregon, Vaughn was injured and couldn’t finish the rest of the game, also missing the 2022 Rose Bowl.
Contributing in this year’s win over the Trojans — and finishing the game — meant a lot to him.
“It was a great feeling for real. I remember last year, at the end of the game I didn’t finish the game because I got hurt. This year, finishing the game and winning it felt really good,” Vaughn said.
How good will playing in the “The Granddaddy of ’Em All” feel?
“Very excited,” Vaughn said of playing in the Rose Bowl. “It’s my first time because, like I said, I was out for injury so I’m looking forward to seeing what they got over there and being a big part of it.”
Vaughn and the rest of the secondary will be going up against quarterback Sean Clifford and Penn State. Clifford has thrown for 2,543 yards and 22 touchdowns with seven interceptions. The Nittany Lions will be without their top receiver, Parker Washington, who sustained a season-ending injury in November.
Penn State’s top remaining targets are wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley (45 catches for 528 yards and four touchdowns) and tight ends Brenton Strange (32 catches for 362 yards and five touchdowns) and Theo Johnson (19 catches for 300 yards and four touchdowns).
“I think they’re pretty good. I feel like in order for us to stop them we gotta be technically sound because they’re a good offense and we know that,” Vaughn said.
Rose Bowl on the air
No. 8 Utah (10-3) vs. No. 11 Penn State (10-2)
Jan. 2, 3 p.m. MST
Rose Bowl
Pasadena, California
TV: ESPN
Radio: ESPN 700