The Case for Utah in 2025: A preview

It's year twenty-one under head coach Kyle Whittingham, we know what Utah is. They don't recruit at a high level -- and they don't have to. They aren't in a recruiting hub, and oftentimes get beat out by bigger programs for the big-time recruits nearby. Yet, they still churn out high level NFL players and most importantly, very good, consistent football teams.

Photo: Big 12 Conference

The Utes have won nine or more games eleven times since 2008, with multiple highly-rated finishes, and made four Pac-12 championships from 2019-2022, winning two.

The first year in the Big 12 was not kind to the Utes. It was an outlier on an otherwise very good run of seasons. Many picked them to win the conference in their first year there, but fellow former Pac-12 member Arizona State did just that, to the surprise of nearly everyone outside Tempe.

It all came off the rails for the Utes when long, longtime QB Cam Rising never fully recovered from an ACL injury, that eventually forced him into retirement. Star TE Brant Kuithe also suffered a season ending injury, after battling injuries in 2022 and 2023 as well. Utah had several other season ending injuries at key spots, overall, it was an un-perfect storm for the Utes.

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We know what Utah is by now. They don’t need to recruit well, but they develop at an elite level, will out-tough and out-size most teams on their schedule, and consistently compete at a high level.

Six quarterbacks threw at least 30 passes for Utah last season. That is about to change, as new offensive coordinator Jason Beck arrives from New Mexico. He led the Lobos to a top five offense nationally in 2024.

He brings his electric quarterback Devon Dampier with him from the Lobos. Dampier has all-American upside, with game-losing turnover issues. He had a 1:1 TD-INT ratio in 2024, and will need to clean that up for Utah to improve on their disappointing season in 2024. The turnovers should get cut down, but even if they don't, his big-play ability can make up for it. He is truly one of the most entertaining players in the country and is ready to make the jump from the G5 to the P4.

The offense will look very similar to last year – on the line. There are no transfers expected to start on the offensive line, or at tight end. They have arguably the best tackle duos in the nation. Left tackle Caleb Lomu is a very solid player, and one of the Big 12's best at his position. Hardly anyone in the nation can hold a candle to right tackle Spencer Fano. He is NFL sized, an all-Big 12 lock, and serious contender to be an all-American. He will be high on draft boards come April.

At the other positions, it is the complete opposite. There are five new transfer receivers, with four expected to start, and three transfer running backs will make up the backfield. The tailbacks are headlined by Wazzu transfer Wayshawn Parker, ultra-talented, and hard to tackle, Parker pairing with Dampier as a rushing attack will be very, very fun to watch, on an offense Utah not only expects to improve, but desperately needs to improve.

The defense was statistically one of the best in the Big 12 in several important figures, but has some questions to answer in 2025. Losing elite corners Zemaiah Vaughn (NFL) and Cameron Calhoun (Alabama transfer), and multiple defensive linemen left the Utes looking for options in the portal on defense as well. They scooped up depth pieces from high-level Big Ten and SEC squads, and return LB Lander Barton, an experienced, highly productive off-ball backer.

They will face a tough Big-12 schedule, including ASU, BYU, Kansas State and Texas Tech all on the conference slate. The good news? Just one of those matchups (BYU) is on the road, and the non-conference (UCLA, FCS Cal Poly, Wyoming) shouldn't provide too many issues.

So, what is the case for Utah?

They have an elite offensive line, an electric QB, a dynamic running back, and return many players, and added a great transfer class to a defense that was one of the best in the conference last year.

Though they may not be the best team in the Big 12, anyone can win it, and anything can happen, if last year is any evidence.