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One thing Utah football fans have come to count on is a good defense, and 2024 was no different.
Despite a second season of poor offensive play, the defense turned in another solid season, often keeping the Utes in games. While it wasn’t perfect, the defense allowed just 20.7 points per game (No. 28 in the nation) and 329.7 yards per contest (No. 30).
While there are some key losses, either to graduation or the transfer portal, there’s still a lot of returning contributors — especially at the linebacker and safety positions.
Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of which defensive contributors are returning for the 2025 season, and which contributors the Utes are losing.
Defensive line
Utah will be replacing a good chunk of its starting snaps along the defensive line — especially at the defensive end position. Starter Keanu Tanuvasa (BYU) and role player Simote Pepa (Washington) transferred away, while longtime starting defensive tackle Junior Tafuna graduated, along with starting defensive end Connor O’Toole.
Utah does return two players with more than 200 snaps on the defensive line — Logan Fano and Dallas Vakalah — and Aliki Vimahi, who played in nearly every game in 2022 and 2023 but was hit by the injury bug in 2024, returns as well. The defensive line group will need to step up after the key departures, and is one of the biggest unknowns heading into the 2025 season.
Production returning in 2025
- Logan Fano, DE, junior. 2024 stats: 35 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one pass deflection, one forced fumble
- Aliki Vimahi, DT, senior. 2024 stats: Seven tackles, two tackles for loss, two pass deflections
- Jonah Lea’ea, DT, sophomore. 2024 stats: Two tackles
- Dallas Vakalahi, DT, sophomore. 2024 stats: 16 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks
- Paul Fitzgerald, DE, junior. 2024 stats: Four tackles
- John Henry Daley, DE, sophomore. 2024 stats: Four tackles, one sack
Production leaving
- Keanu Tanuvasa, DT, sophomore. 2024 stats: 17 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, four pass breakups, two QB hurries
- Simote Pepa, DT, junior. 2024 stats: 10 tackles, two tackles for loss
- David Fotu, DT, senior. 2024 stats: Six tackles
- Connor O’Toole, DE, senior: 2024 stats: 22 tackles, 2.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, forced fumble
- Junior Tafuna, DT, senior. 2024 stats: 31 tackles, three tackles for loss, one pass breakup
Linebackers
The loss of veteran Karene Reid, who wore the coach-to-player communication and was the quarterback of the defense, is a big one, and Sione Fotu, who played a starting role during Reid’s lengthy injury absence, transferred, but Utah brings back a solid linebacker core.
Lander Barton returns for another year and will be the centerpiece of the position group, while Johnathan Hall, who converted from safety to linebacker this year, will have another offseason as a linebacker under his belt and should show positive development.
Levani Damuni, who suffered a season-ending injury in spring, is back for the 2025 season, giving Utah three starting-quality linebackers. In 2023, Damuni led the team with 87 tackles and will make a big impact this season.
Production returning in 2025
- Lander Barton, senior. 2024 stats: 72 tackles, two sacks, five tackles for loss, two interceptions, four pass breakups, forced fumble
- Johnathan Hall, junior. 2024 stats: 38 tackles, nine tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, three pass breakups
Production leaving
- Karene Reid, senior. 2024 stats: 54 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, one pass breakup, one interception
- Sione Fotu, sophomore. 2024 stats: 19 tackles, two pass breakups
Cornerbacks
Utah knew that it had to replace one starting cornerback with the graduation of Zemaiah Vaughn, but it might not have anticipated having to replace another.
Cameron Calhoun, who had a great freshman season for the Utes, departed for Alabama in the transfer portal. Calhoun was slotted to be a starter before his departure, meaning Utah needs to replace two starting spots heading into 2025.
Smith Snowden, who was excellent at nickel back last season, will likely move to outside corner, and Elijah Davis could continue in a starting role as well. The Utes brought in three cornerbacks from the transfer portal, so there should be healthy competition for the three starting spots.
Production returning in 2025
- Elijah Davis, junior. 2024 stats: 29 tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions
- Smith Snowden, junior. 2024 stats: 48 tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, eight pass breakups, one forced fumble
Production leaving
- Cameron Calhoun, freshman. 2024 stats: 21 tackles, one interception, nine pass breakups
- Zemaiah Vaughn, senior. 2024 stats: 40 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, five pass breakups
Safeties
The position group with the least attrition in the offseason, the safety room, brings back the two players that closed the season in starting roles — Tao Johnson and Rabbit Evans.
Johnson was the free safety that Scalley has been wanting in his defense, earning an 82.5 Pro Football Focus grade — second-highest on the defense. Evans grew into his own during the last quarter of the season, turning in good performances against Colorado, Iowa State and UCF.
Production returning in 2025
- Rabbit Evans, senior. 2024 stats: 34 tackles, two tackles for loss, one pass breakup
- Tao Johnson, junior. 2024 stats: 70 tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, four pass breakups, one forced fumble
- Nate Ritchie, junior. 2024 stats: 19 tackles, two tackles for loss
Production leaving
- Alaka’i Gilman, senior. 2024 stats: 41 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, one interception, one pass breakup
From the archives
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Gianna Kneepkens carries Utah to exciting rivalry win over BYU
Consistency and finishing trip up Utah again in a 15-point home loss to Baylor
Extra points
- What was competing at BYU like for Utah gymnastics? (Deseret News)
- Bills rally around former Utah star after playoff heartbreak (Deseret News)