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Devon Dampier had a successful first season at Utah.
After transferring from New Mexico with offensive coordinator Jason Beck and winning the starting quarterback job, Dampier helped turn Utah’s offense around, which had struggled for two consecutive years in the absence of Cam Rising; he led the Utes to 41.2 points per game and 482.9 yards per game — both of which ranked No. 4 in the nation.
Dampier contributed 835 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns to Utah’s school-record rushing yard total and threw for 2,490 yards and 24 touchdowns with just five interceptions on a completion percentage of 63.5.
“Just since that day, I’ve never seen him change up. The loyalty, the love, the belief, the confidence, that’s never changed through them. And if anything, I’ve seen more of that when times were tough for me. He came through every single time and just the amount of effort he’s put to make me feel like I belong here has been crazy.”
— Utah QB Devon Dampier on Morgan Scalley
He answered the two main criticisms of his play at New Mexico, reducing turnovers and upping his completion percentage, and while he had a couple of down games in Utah’s losses to BYU and Texas Tech, overall, he was exactly what the Utes needed after two years of middling-to-poor quarterback play.
And he did it all while injured for most of the season.
Dampier battled a sports hernia and an ankle injury last season.
“I’ve never had an injury like that so that was the first time where I felt like I was going into games in my head like I can’t play how I normally play,” Dampier said at last week’s Big 12 media days.
Though Utah and Dampier both enjoyed success, with the Utes going 11-2 and winning their first bowl game since 2017, Dampier felt like he could have put on a better showing if he wasn’t injured.
“Devon played a lot of last year, not 100% — sports hernia — but that just goes to show how competitive he is and how tough he is,” said coach Morgan Scalley. “I’m excited to see him play at full strength again.”
After having surgery to fix the sports hernia this offseason, Scalley and others from the coaching staff were at the airport to welcome Dampier home. That gesture, which came as Dampier was mulling over his future, meant a lot to Utah’s quarterback.
Dampier has a closer relationship than you might think with Scalley. Despite being the defensive coordinator at the time, Utah’s new head coach was Dampier’s “tour guide” on his visit while he was in the transfer portal, and that visit was a factor in Dampier committing to Utah. Since then, the two have had a tight bond.
“Just since that day, I’ve never seen him change up. The loyalty, the love, the belief, the confidence, that’s never changed through them,” Dampier said. “And if anything, I’ve seen more of that when times were tough for me. He came through every single time and just the amount of effort he’s put to make me feel like I belong here has been crazy.”
Dampier’s decision to return gave the Utes a very solid foundation on offense, along with the return of quarterback Byrd Ficklin and running back Wayshawn Parker.
He’ll have a new offensive coordinator in 2026 in Kevin McGiven, who has been hard at work helping Dampier improve ahead of the 2026 season.
“I think knowing the game, knowing the game is definitely where he wanted me (to improve),” Dampier said. “He wanted me to have greater decision making and just being able to explain (the) why behind what I’m doing on the football field and just, again, being efficient and having a reason for what I’m doing on the field.”
McGiven likes Dampier’s skill set, which features his dual-threat ability and propensity to make plays happen outside the pocket, and is going to tailor the offense around what Dampier does best.
Now healthy from a sports hernia that affected his ability to throw without pain, Utah is expecting a bump in his numbers through the air.
“I’m excited to see a fully healthy Devon Dampier,” Scalley said. “One of the best I’ve seen at throwing on the run, how accurate he is at throwing on the run. Coach McGiven and (quarterbacks coach Ryan) Gunderson have done a great job implementing the offense and getting him schooled up on things.”
Dampier’s weapons include Utah State transfer Braden Pegan (926 yards, five TDs) and San Jose State transfer Kyri Shoels (768 yards, two TDs). Utah is also high on Mississippi State transfer Ricky Johnson, who came with receivers coach Chad Bumphis. Though Johnson didn’t produce much for the Bulldogs, he impressed during spring camp.
Returners Creed Whittemore, Larry Simmons, Tobias Merriweather and Daidren Zipperer round out what Scalley is calling one of the best receiver rooms he’s seen in his 20 seasons at Utah.
“I’m excited, as well, for him to have the threats that he has. This wide receiver group’s one of the best, if not the best we’ve had at the University of Utah since I’ve been there, which is a long time. To have those threats is a big deal,” Scalley said.
To develop chemistry with his receivers and continue improving as an offense, Dampier has led the charge and put together player-led practices in the winter and summer.
In those practices, Dampier takes on the role of quarterback coach.
“We do a lot in terms of schooling our guys up on what actual leadership looks like. It can be uncomfortable to lead,” Scalley said. “Leadership is not a popularity thing, it is an influence thing — to be able to influence others and bring others along to buy into your vision.”
Some players, Scalley says, don’t want that role, but Dampier has wholeheartedly embraced it, including calling players out and holding them accountable during the practices.
“I mean, if I want success out of our team, I need to make sure I’m there at every single thing. I also want that for my teammates as well, though. I don’t ever want to make anyone feel like they’re obligated to get better,” Dampier said. “I want to give the vibe to my team that you see the way I work, you see that I want success for everybody. Why not come follow?”
Last year, Utah came close to playing in its first Big 12 championship game, but a loss at BYU was the difference in the Utes playing in Las Vegas in the postseason.
Most oddsmakers give the Utes the third-best chance to win the conference, while a preseason poll by 16 Big 12 writers put the Utes No. 5.
Texas Tech and BYU may be the teams to beat in the conference once again, but Utah has a shot at winning it.
If the Utes are to reach the top of the mountain, they’ll need a fantastic season from Dampier.
He wants nothing more than to deliver Utah a Big 12 title.
“Y’all know how it is in Utah, dude. The fans and us, we’re so passionate about football and, man, we love to see success just in Utah in general,” Dampier said.
“So that’s one of those things where it’s more than just us. The community gets involved. It becomes more than you. ... It’s a whole state thing. So it would be cool to kind of mark our spot in history and do that.”
In case you missed it
Utah AD Mark Harlan talked Rice-Eccles Stadium upgrades, private equity, Adidas deal, Huntsman Center renovation and more at Big 12 media days.
From the archives
Extra points
- Watch: 5 things Utah’s Morgan Scalley said at his first Big 12 media days, from culture to taking over the program
- Big 12 football writers conducted our own preseason poll last week; here’s who we have at No. 1
- Utah ends partnership with JMI, shifts multimedia rights to Crimson Brand Partners
