This season, Utah likely won’t be providing depth charts, opting only to comply with the Big 12’s new injury reports, which are required to be issued daily starting Wednesday before conference games.
With that in mind, here’s our best attempt at what Utah’s two-deep looks like ahead of the Aug. 30 opener at UCLA, along with a position-group-by-position-group look at the Utes’ defense post-fall camp.
Defensive line
Utah had to replace two veteran starters at the defensive tackle position in Keanu Tanuvasa and Junior Tafuna this offseason.
The Utes have two players with starting experience in senior Aliki Vimahi (seven tackles, two tackles for loss and two pass breakups in four games due to injury) and sophomore Dallas Vakalahi (16 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks).
Redshirt sophomore Jonah Lea’ea (two tackles last year) is also prepared to take a step forward. Behind those three are freshmen, led by Karson Kaufusi and Pupu Sepulona, who will see time in the rotation this season.
There’s talent there, but they’ll have to prove it on the field. Heading into the 2025 season, how does defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley feel about the depth behind the two starters?
“We’ve made a ton of progress. The freshmen came in and really have proven that they can play Year 1, so Karson Kaufusi, Pupu Sepulona, Semi Taulanga and Sione Motuapuaka, I would say my guess is all see time at some point this season, but I would say Karson and Pupu have kind of separated themselves from the freshman pack,” Scalley said.
At defensive end, Logan Fano is a lock for a starting spot. Coming off of injury, Fano registered 35 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and a pass breakup last year, but after a fully healthy offseason, expectations have risen.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see either of John Henry Daley, Paul Fitzgerald or Kash Dillon start at the other spot, but we’ll give the nod to Daley, who totaled four tackles, including a sack, in 52 snaps.
The defensive line is usually the least of Utah’s worries, and it may end up that way in 2025 again, but it will be interesting to follow in the opener against UCLA.
Linebacker
This unit should be the strength of Utah’s defense, with three proven contributors returning in Lander Barton, Levani Damuni and Johnathan Hall.
Barton will lead the group. He had an up-and-down season last year coming off of injury, but rounded into form at the end of the season with an 87-yard pick-six against Iowa State, an interception against Colorado and a forced fumble in the season-ending win over UCF that set the tone for the game.
“Going into last year’s season, he was coming off that broken foot, kind of a slower start for him as we all know, but I think the way he ended his last four games, he’s played really, really well,” linebackers coach Colton Swan said.
Damuni returns from an injury that cost him his entire season. In 2023, he stepped in for the injured Barton and ended the season with a team-high 87 tackles.
And Hall, the safety-turned-linebacker who totaled 38 tackles, a sack, three pass breakups and a pick in his first season at the position, returns with an offseason under his belt and improvements made in his game.
This should be a strong group for the Utes.
Cornerback
The Utes are replacing a starter in Zemaiah Vaughn and another player who would have been a starter had he not transferred in Cam Calhoun.
That’s why the Utes hit the transfer portal hard at cornerback.
Utah has two returners — Smith Snowden at nickel (one of the Utes’ best defensive players last season) and Scooby Davis who stepped into a starting role after Kenan Johnson was lost for the season and contributed 29 tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups.
Snowden is set to play nickel again, but also likely remain on the field, playing outside, when Utah goes to two cornerbacks.
In one of the more prominent fall camp battles, UC Davis transfer Blake Cotton looks to have emerged as the outside starter. Last year, Cotton had 25 tackles and two pass breakups.
“I would just say mastery of the scheme and physicality,” Scalley said as to why Cotton separated himself. “He’s got the speed to play corner, but to be able to add the physical element that you’d be able to do, the ability to blitz and leverage the football is a big factor in it.”
Utah also has options to rotate in, like Texas A&M transfer Don Saunders and Garden City Community College transfer Rock Caldwell.
“That’s another position group that you’re going to probably see quite a bit of rotation there because we feel comfortable with the progress that’s been made there,” Scalley said.
Safety
Tao Johnson will lead this group once again after a seamless transition from nickel to safety.
Johnson was one of the leaders on Utah’s defense last season, totaling 70 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and four pass breakups.
“He can play corner, he can play nickel, he can play the free and now he can play the strong safety. He’s much more physical, so versatility would be the biggest thing,” Scalley said.
At strong safety will be Rabbit Evans, whom the Utes turned to at the starting spot to close the season last year. He totaled 34 tackles and a pass breakup.
Behind those two should be Nate Ritchie and Nate Tilmon, and Jackson Bennee could also factor in here as well.
Utah should have another good safety group on its hands in 2025.
Utah’s projected 2025 defensive depth chart
Starter; backup
- DE: Logan Fano (R-Jr.); Kash Dillon (R-Fr.)
- DT: Dallas Vakalahi (So.); Karson Kaufusi (Fr.)
- DT: Aliki Vimahi (Sr.); Jonah Lea’ea (R-So.)
- DE: John Henry Daley (R-So.); Lance Holtzclaw (R-Jr.))
- LB: Lander Barton (Sr.); Kana’i Lopes (R-Fr.)
- LB: Levani Damuni (Sr.); Trey Reynolds (Jr.)
- LB: Johnathan Hall (Sr.); Moroni Anae (Sr.)
- CB: Blake Cotton (Sr.); Donovan Saunders (R-Jr.)
- CB: Elijah Davis (R-Jr.); Jeremiah Caldwell (R-Jr.)
- NB: Smith Snowden (Jr.); Jackson Bennee (So.)
- FS: Tao Johnson (R-Jr.); Nate Tilmon (Fr.)
- SS: Rabbit Evans (Sr.); Nate Ritchie (Jr.)