For Utah, one of the mantras, both uttered and ineffable, during fall camp is “Start Fast.”
That’s not what happened last year, when the Utes’ offense started, shall we say, slow.
Utah opened the season against FCS in-state foe Weber State, and though it scored 40 points, it wasn’t a performance that necessarily wowed anybody.
Then, the next two weeks, the Utes lost at BYU and at San Diego State as the offense mostly sputtered and Utah got off to a 1-2 start.
Of course, when Cam Rising took over for Charlie Brewer at quarterback, the complexion of the offense, and Utah’s season, changed dramatically.
From October on, with Rising taking the snaps, the Utes’ offensive line jelled, Tavion Thomas emerged as the No. 1 running back, the offense averaged 39 points per game and Utah went on to win the Pac-12 championship.
Now, the Utes are three weeks away from kicking off the season at the Swamp against SEC power Florida on Sept. 3.
Utah, ranked No. 8 in the preseason USA Today coaches poll, is hoping for a much better, sharper offensive performance this September than it showed last September.
“That is the absolute plan and the drive and the message every day,” said offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig. “Absolutely. Start fast.”
As wide receiver Devaughn Vele noted, the situation is much different from fall camp last year, when the Utes were staging a quarterback competition between Brewer and Rising and they were trying to find a starting running back.
“It’s good now that we don’t have to worry about the quarterback battle or who’s going to be running back No. 1. We don’t have to deal with that anymore,” Vele said. “We have what we already have. We need to make sure that we’re ready for Sept. 3. We’ve got to make sure that we’re ready when we go to the Swamp.
“It’s not like we’re playing in Oregon or Arizona anymore. We’re going to the SEC, where football is a religion, it’s not a sport out there. I’m super excited. I’m not really nervous at all. It’s been a long time coming. Everybody has been talking about the offense. It’s time for us to show out.”
While it took Utah a while to discover its identity in 2021, Thomas said that identity has already been established.
“We’re tough and nasty, man. We’re tough and we’re going to bring it,” he said. “That’s how we’re going to dominate, by being tough and nasty.”
Utah cornerback Clark Phillips III has been impressed by what he’s seen from Rising during fall camp.
“I think he’s really improved in terms of his deep ball accuracy. He’s continued to better himself as a player,” Phillips said. “It’s bittersweet because when you’re a defensive back, and covering the receivers, but when a couple of perfect balls happen, you’re like, ‘Dang, that’s kind of frustrating.’
“You look at yourself like, ‘I’m not good.’ Then you look over and see Cam Rising and you’re like, OK, but you’re still unsettled. It’s a thing that goes back and forth every single day. You’re grateful for a guy like that. I know he’s grateful for guys like us that can compete every single day. We don’t like to lose and he doesn’t like to lose either.”
Wide receiver Solomon Enis can’t wait for the offense to be unleashed this fall.
“It’s going to be exciting. Cam is throwing the ball really well. Now it’s going to be on the receivers to get the job done,” he said. “Vele and I are going to make sure that we get it done. We have a really good tight end group and everyone knows that.”
Phillips can’t wait to see what Rising will do for an encore this season.
“He’s going to make some things happen like he did last year. I can’t wait for him to start with the first game with a bang,” Phillips said. “It’s fun to have a guy like that that leads. He’s a leader of men.
“It’s encouraging to see how he rallies the troops on the offensive side of the ball. He’s competitive with us but not combative, as the coaches say. He keeps everything fresh and new. We have a lot to accomplish.”
Vele said having Florida on the schedule, as the season-opener, has expedited a sense of urgency.
“It’s a little different now. I’m not dogging any other schools, but when we start out with FCS schools, sometimes guys get that feeling like, ‘It’s OK, we can gradually get into in-season mode.’
“But this time, no,” he said. “We start out with Florida, in the SEC, in the Swamp. We can’t come in complacent or else they’re going to run us out of there.”
In other words, Utah’s offense needs to start fast.