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As it is for most college football programs in the transfer portal era, it’s been an offseason of change for the Utah Utes — especially on the offensive side of the ball.
Seventeen new players transferred into Kyle Whittingham’s program and 24 transferred out, clearing the way for a new era.
While all the new transfers will be given the opportunity to prove themselves and earn playing time — starting when spring practice opens on March 20 — these three transfers could make the biggest difference in 2025.
Wayshawn Parker, RB
Parker, who had a good true freshman season at Washington State, was one of the top running backs available from this year’s transfer portal and was heavily pursued by a number of programs, including Tennessee, USC and Ole Miss, among others.
In the end, the 5-foot-10, 206-pound Parker chose Utah, reuniting with his running backs coach at Washington State, Mark Atuaia, in Salt Lake City.
For the Utes, Parker’s transfer could not have come at a more opportune time. Micah Bernard, who eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark this last season, is out of eligibility, along with Charlie Vincent.
A bevy of former Utes at the position hit the transfer portal, too, meaning the room is a blank slate heading into 2025.
Jaylon Glover (12 carries for 60 yards), Mike Mitchell (47 carries for 158 yards and one touchdown) and Dijon Stanley (66 rushing yards, 166 receiving yards and two touchdowns) all entered the transfer portal, meaning virtually every player that had production from last season is gone.
Gone, too, is Anthony Woods, who didn’t play last season due to injury but was productive at Idaho (1,131 yards and 16 touchdowns).
Utah’s running backs rotation could include transfer pickups NaQuari Rogers (74 carries for 382 yards and five touchdowns in junior season at New Mexico) and Devin Green (29 carries for 123 yards and one touchdown in freshman season at UNLV), but RB1 is expected to be Parker.
There’s an element of continuation due to Parker being coached by his old running backs coach that should help as he adjusts to Salt Lake City and new offensive coordinator Jason Beck’s scheme.
Parker rushed for 735 yards and four scores on 137 carries in his first season of college football, including a 149-yard, two-touchdown performance on 11 touches against Utah State.
If Parker can make the jump that most stars make between their freshman and sophomore season, he’ll be able to take up the lead running back mantle for the Utes.
Devon Dampier, QB
Will Utah’s quarterback woes come to an end in 2025? With the addition of New Mexico quarterback Devon Dampier, Utah’s coaches sure hope so.
With Cam Rising out for the 2023 season and the majority of the 2024 season, the Utes had to turn to their backup plans, and as a result, the “throw game,” as Whittingham calls it, took a nose dive.
Utah ranked No. 117 nationally in passing offense in 2023 (165.8 yards per game) and No. 94 in 2024 (199.4 yards per game). The Utes knew they needed to bring in a new face to revitalize the position, and after Beck was hired, Dampier soon followed.
If nothing else, Dampier should bring some excitement to an offense that was painful for Ute fans to watch over the past two seasons.
At New Mexico, Dampier totaled 3,934 yards of offense in 2024 (2,768 passing and 1,166 rushing), and was the perfect fit for Beck’s offensive scheme. The former BYU quarterback uses lots of run-pass option in his offense, and the speedy sophomore used his legs to his advantage often.
Beck, and Dampier, know where the new Ute QB needs to improve — accuracy. Dampier was one of the nation’s least-accurate passers a season ago, completing just 57.9% of his passes, and had a 1:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (12 touchdowns, 12 interceptions).
He was able to make big plays through the air and lead the Lobos to the fifth-most productive offense in FBS last season, so if he can improve his accuracy in 2025, it could bode well for a Utah team in desperate need of an offensive reset.
Dampier will also help ease the transition to Beck’s offense for the entire team.
“He knows we’ll tweak some things and adapt some things, but yeah, he’s already up and running, so he’s been in it for a year,” Beck said. “So just his example to help the other guys or to show what it’s supposed to look like at a high level for the other guys to come around and how that permeates throughout the offensive guys is a big positive.”
Ryan Davis, WR
Utah has two returning receivers that saw increased production down the stretch of the season that should be in position to take on bigger roles this season — Zacharyus Williams (101 yards in final three games) and Daidren Zipperer (84 of 122 total yards in final three games).
The question heading into the 2025 season: Who will emerge alongside them?
Utah went after the wide receiver position hard this offseason, adding four transfers — Utah State’s Otto Tia (44 receptions for 434 yards and seven touchdowns), Wyoming’s Justin Stevenson (17 receptions for 204 yards and three touchdowns), Mississippi State’s Creed Whittemore (chose to redshirt after four games; four receptions for 65 yards) and New Mexico’s Ryan Davis.
Since he played with Dampier in Albuquerque, there’s already chemistry between the two, which will be helpful as they move to their new school.
Davis was New Mexico’s second-leading receiver last year, totaling 747 yards and three touchdowns — numbers that would have placed him No. 1 among Utah’s receivers in 2024.
The 5-foot-11, 181-pound Davis is certainly a prime candidate to make a big impact among Utah’s transfers this season.
In case you missed it
The Runnin’ Utes defeated then-No. 17 Kansas and then beat Kansas State for a Huntsman sweep, giving the program momentum as they head into the final stretch of the season.
From the archives
Extra points
Off night costs Utah a chance to beat No. 24 Oklahoma State, snaps seven-game win streak (Deseret News)
Gabe Madsen’s record-breaking moment ‘one I’ll remember for a long time’ (Deseret News)