Not many people knew who freshman Zack Moss was at the beginning of the season, but most everyone who watches Utah football knows now.
When Joe Williams fumbled the ball early in the first quarter against BYU in the second game of the season for the Utes, head coach Kyle Whittingham sat the senior for the rest of the half. This was the second time he fumbled in the first two games of the season. He also fumbled the ball a few times at the tail end of the 2015 season when he was filling in for an injured Devontae Booker. Ball security has been an area of concern for Williams, so Whittingham thought better than to let him play it out, and he benched him. Enter Moss.
Moss didn’t have a single rush in the season opener against SUU and he didn’t necessarily shine in the first half against BYU, but he sure did in the fourth quarter. The Utes completed a 19 play drive, a drive that took more than 11 minutes off the clock, and Moss was arguably the focal point of that drive. He rushed for a total of 41 yards and finished the game with an overall 58 yards.
“When I got in, I didn’t want to get out,” Moss said.
So heading into the game against San Jose State, Williams was no longer listed on the depth chart. Troy McCormick and Williams seemed to be the two battling it out for that starting position in spring and fall camp, but because of Moss’ emergence, it was a two-way race, following the early retirement of Joe Williams.
Moss is the new No. 1 on the depth chart for runningback, but Whittingham said this doesn’t guarantee him the starting job. More likely than not, the two — McCormick and Moss — will run the ball the same amount of times as the others, because Whittingham isn’t entirely invested in any of the bunch. But things are looking up for Moss.
The true freshman was injured for about two and a half weeks in fall camp, so both Moss and Whittingham think he is a little out of shape. But if he’s out of shape now and is producing this type of offense for the Utes, the odds seem to be in his favor.
“He’s still not in great shape, but his potential — he [has] not even reached it yet,” Whittingham said. “He’s going to continue to get better and based on his performance [against BYU], he deserves a chance to be the [starting] guy.”
If anything, Whittingham thinks he deserves a shot at that starting role. After rushing for as many yards as he did against a tough BYU defense, Moss is gaining confidence.
Moss admits that he did try to do a few things that he did in high school against BYU and they didn’t pan out, but now he knows better and where to improve. Moss also knows everything won’t immediately click and it may take a few more reps, a few more drives, for the offense to really find its identity.
“Everything is not going to be perfect in the first few games,” Moss said. “Hopefully we can put it together. I have to step up my game — pay attention more, take mental reps and when I go out there, execute plays perfectly. Just be myself, play my game, block a little better, run a little harder.”
Isaac Asiata, offensive lineman, likes what he’s seeing from the freshman. He is aware of the star power Moss yields, especially considering he’s only in his first year.
“Zack is doing a great job,” Asiata said. “I thought he came in, and like coach Whitt said, was a spark for the offense. I hope he keeps building on the game he had last week.”
@kbrenneisen