The U football team was hardly an offensive juggernaut a season ago. The group that finished seventh in the Mountain West Conference in total offense-and dead last in scoring-struggled to find a consistent passing game last season while rotating starters at quarterback and tailback.
Now, the 2003 Utes are faced with the loss of their three top receivers-Josh Lyman, Paris Jackson and Devin Houston-further weakening what was already a sore spot.
Without the three departed seniors, who combined for 109 catches, 1,378 yards and 11 touchdowns last year, new head coach Urban Meyer will have to rest the hopes of his newly installed spread offense on a receiving corps with very little game experience.
Junior Travis LaTendresse and senior Ben Moa are the only returning receivers with any starting experience at the U.
“The wide receiver position is not a Division I group right now,” Meyer said. “That’s the most alarming position on our team.”
The new-look U offense will feature four starting wideouts, two of whom have no Division I experience. Paris Warren, a transfer from Oregon who practiced with the Utes last year, emerged during spring practice as the top wideout on the roster, and earned himself a starting spot.
“Warren is a guy who’s just lights out,” Meyer said. “He had a great spring. He’s our best receiver. He’s been handed the golden baton, so to speak. He’s the guy who’s going to be our go-to guy.”
Warren, who will also return punts this season, is someone Ute fans may remember well from a couple of season back, when he was still a member of the Ducks.
In a 2001 regular season showdown, Oregon toppled the Utes 24-10 in Eugene thanks in part to a contribution by Warren, who took a lateral from quarterback Joey Harrington and unloaded a 50-yard pass that set up a pivotal Ducks touchdown.
But that, as they say, is in the past. As the Utes’ new No. 1 wide receiver, Warren will see much more action than he was likely to find in Oregon.
Moa was a backup tight end last year, catching 14 passes for 126 yards. Since Meyer came aboard, he has made the switch to wide receiver and has finally secured a starting position.
Meyer’s offense de-emphasizes the tight end, opting instead for a four-wide attack, but Moa will still see playing time at the position when it is needed.
Matt Hansen, who started 10 games at tight end last season, will see playing time as well.
Steven Savoy gets a chance at redemption this season as the Utes’ starting “X” receiver. A freshman who was forced to redshirt in 2002 after injuring his knee over the summer, Savoy is the second-fastest receiver on the roster and, with the addition of Meyer’s more pass-oriented offense, has a chance to have a solid four-year career at the U.
“He’s a guy who could be a real good player for us,” Meyer said.
Rounding out the starting lineup is LaTendresse, who in 2002 caught 21 passes for 193 yards and a game-changing touchdown against Michigan.
Depth remains an issue at the position-and for an offense that relies on quite a few receivers, that could come back to hurt the team should anyone suffer serious a injury.
The team’s top backups include the likes of Larry Miles and Lynzell Jackson-neither of whom was impressive during the spring, according to Meyer-and Jerome Wright, a transfer student from Antelope Valley Community College.
Utah football has a much different look from the 2002 squad, in large part due to the receiving corps.
One of the biggest tests of the new offense will be the play of the receivers, who have to prove they can overcome their lack of experience.