The Offense will Bring Highlight Plays Galore in 2015
by Juan Jose Negrette
When you think about the Utah football team, one name comes to mind — Devontae Booker. He is the heart and soul of the offense, the piece that makes the whole unit run. His Heisman trophy aspiration for this season is only one of the reasons I believe the football team’s most productive — and exciting — unit will be the offensive side of the ball.
Although the offense will rely heavily on strong production and a great campaign from Booker, he is not the only weapon the offense has in its arsenal. Dual-threat QB Travis Wilson, hoping to start for the full season, is more determined than ever to prove critics wrong about his game. He has more starts under his belt, leading to more experience, and that should translate well on the field.
He is also stocked with weapons on the outside like incumbent starting receiver Kenneth Scott, who had 506 receiving yards last year to go with four touchdowns, and looks fully prepared to take over for the likes of Dres Anderson and Kaelin Clay who departed the team for the NFL.
The most exciting part, however, is the slew of incoming talent that will infuse a new dimension to the unit. Britain Covey leads the way as a star of fall camp who looks poised to make noise in the slot. He appears ready to contribute right out of the gate as a true freshman, and his 5-foot-8, 166 pound frame fits well in the slot, a position that will require him to make guys miss and get yards after the catch.
Other candidates for the slot, like Bubba Poole, look focused and determined to help fill the void left by the departure of receiving targets. His experience as a running back will help him make plays in space and reach the end zone quickly. There’s also the speed of Delshawn McClellon, and the intriguing potential of Kenric Young.
Another big part of the offense is the tight end group, which has made the evolution from mostly in-line blockers to pieces of the passing game puzzle. Junior Siale Fakailoatonga leads the positional group and he looks like a candidate to make a big leap. After only totaling two catches for 33 yards his sophomore season, Fakailoatonga is ready to step into the starting role. He has the potential to be a mismatch nightmare for opposing defenses, as well as a red-zone target machine. At 6-foot-4, he has the size to win battles against linebackers and defensive backs.
Other players like senior Evan Moeai, and incoming freshman Caleb Repp could also potentially have big roles at the position. Both players could be security blankets for the quarterback and make plays down the seam.
Although the passing game has the potential to be the most electric in recent years, the running game still takes the cake for the Utes. That’s in large part due to the excellent vision and speed of Booker, but the team is also well-equipped with starting-caliber back-ups like Joe Williams, Monte Seabrook and the aforementioned Bubba Poole.
The backs will be running behind an offensive line that can open big gaps and protect the pocket. Linemen like J.J. Dielman, Siaosi Aiono and Sam Tevi will stabilize the line and continue the trend of producing a special running game.
Again, it all comes back to Booker, who looks like a man on a mission, and has sights set on big things in his second campaign as a Ute. Let’s not forget Wilson’s ability to make plays with his feet, extend drives and pick up some rushing yards himself.
No matter what position you look at on the offensive unit, there are either superstar players or players who could easily get to that level. If all the pieces fall in place, and the stars align the right way, the 2015-16 Utes offense could lead the team to a nine-plus win season, a Pac-12 title and possibly even more.
With all the uncertainty in the sport, that is a big “if.” Head coach Kyle Whittingham, however, has the players in place to run one of the greatest offensive units in Utah football history.
@Juanderful887
Veteran Defense will give Opponents a Rough Welcome to Sack Lake City
by Tyler Crum
To the delight of legions of fans across America, the excruciatingly long football-deprived period between mid-January and September has finally drawn to a close, and Utah fans are fortunate enough to be some of the first to ring in college football’s New Year when the Utes host the Michigan Wolverines this Thursday.
Over the past weeks, analysts and football-junkies have been examining every detail of both teams’ summer camps, hoping for the slightest indication of how this season will pan out. The Wolverines have been under intense scrutiny this offseason surrounding a wide range of issues such as their recent history of disappointing seasons that stretches all the way back to the infamous 2007 loss to Appalachian State, an intense quarterback battle, a poor recruiting class and the addition of high-profile head coach Jim Harbaugh.
There are also a number of questions surrounding the Utes as they enter this season: Will quarterback Travis Wilson put his injury-riddled career behind him and finally have a breakout year? Will the relatively inexperienced receiving corps be able to perform under pressure? Who will step up and fill the huge gaps on defense left by the departures of team leaders Nate Orchard and Eric Rowe?
When Thursday rolls around, we will finally see an end to the speculation, but before then, we have one last question to ponder: which unit will perform better in 2015, offense or defense?
With all due respect to the offense, I wholeheartedly believe that the defense is going to have a stronger showing this season for a couple of reasons.
For starters, I believe that the defense has much more consistency and fewer issues that need to be addressed before the start of the season. As previously mentioned, the defense graduated several key players last year, but there is no shortage of players willing and able to fill the vacancies. Up front, the Utes are led by a punishing defensive line bolstered by returners Lowell Lotulelei, Jason Fanaika, Pita Taumoepenu and Hunter Dimick.
Additionally, an impressive collection of veteran linebackers led by Jared Norris, Jason Whittingham and Gionni Paul will anchor Utah’s fearsome interior defense and can be a nightmare for opposing Pac-12 offenses. On the perimeter, Utah has an exciting young group of speedy defensive backs, including Andre Godfrey and Marcus Williams, who will be a strong asset for the defensive as well.
Many of the Utes on this side of the ball are healthy and experienced, which will help propel the Ute defense past their offensive counterparts, who have seen their fair share of injuries over the past few seasons.
The defense also has a not-so-secret weapon that has been integral to its success throughout history: its fans, namely The North and The MUSS. Teams that come into Salt Lake City will find themselves out of their element when they are in the intimate confines of Rice-Eccles Stadium with 45,000 Utah fans breathing down their necks. While a stadium packed with Utah fans will definitely provide the offense with some big inspiration, many aspects of a home-field advantage are much more beneficial to the defense.
The MUSS’s Third Down Jump and the general raucousness that has earned Rice-Eccles Stadium a reputation as being one of the most difficult places to play in all of college football are exclusive to the times when the Ute defense is on the field. Salt Lake City is a terrifying place for any visiting quarterback, and the fact that the Wolverines have yet to name their starting signal caller will make it tough for the Michigan offense to operate without a clear leader at the helm, clearing the path for the rest of the campaign.
While I hope that both sides of the ball have an excellent performance this year, the experience and consistency shown by the defense in addition to the defensively-biased benefits of a home crowd will see the continuation of Utah’s long-standing tradition of relying on a strong defense to win football games.
@tylerfcrum