Utah Football has caught the spark that was ignited during practice on Saturday, pushing the team through the end of fall camp to the start of the season. The Utes are finding a consistent flow of play while maintaining their tempo, and the players are excited to square off against Michigan in a week and a half.
“We are finding our rhythm on offense — execution is picking up, guys are settling into their roles,” said head coach Kyle Whittingham. “Some playmakers to watch out for at the beginning of the season are Kenneth Scott, Devontae Booker in the backfield and Caleb Repp as a tight-end or wide receiver.”
One unit that the head coach has been impressed with at the conclusion of camp was the secondary, who has experienced a bit of turnover this offseason.
With the departure of now-Eagles Eric Rowe and the dismissal of returning leader Dominique Hatfield, the remaining Utes in the secondary have stepped up their play and are excited about facing an actual opponent in the coming weeks.
“Fall camp is going good, we’re improving as a defense,” safety Marcus Williams said.
When the unit is clicking, Williams can be seen with his fellow teammates running to the ball, breaking the stack and gaining tackles. The progress that they have made this fall is noticeable, and the chemistry within the group has only grown.
“We are becoming a real tight group; learning the new plays, coming together and being one,” Williams said. “I am learning to listen more to what the older guys are saying. I’m listening, so that we are all on the same page. I’m trying to be a more physical player and smarter on the field.”
Devontae Booker’s humble response after he was announced as a captain on the team was exactly one of the reasons why his teammates voted him as a leader of this squad.
“I’m trying to lead by example by becoming a vocal leader, and trying to continue to lead in the right way,” said Booker. “I haven’t been vocal in the past. I am just trying to be a big brother to these guys and do whatever they need from me.”
Utes receive votes in AP poll
On Sunday, the first college football AP poll was released for the season, and while defending national champion Ohio State received all 61 first-place votes, Utah was nowhere to be found on the list of the top 25 teams in the nation.
That said, if you scrolled down to the “Other teams receiving votes” section, the Utes finally made an appearance with 36 votes, trailing just four teams before cracking the national ranks. Additionally, Utah was one of six teams that dropped out from the final rankings of last season.
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