After Three Games, Here’s What We’ve Learned About Utah Football

Sep 17, 2024, 4:32 PM | Updated: 5:19 pm

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY – With three games in the books and the first Big 12 Conference game set for Saturday, now is a good time to assess what we’ve learned about Utah Football.

The non-conference slate has been a little more up-and-down than anticipated coming into the season. Yet, Kyle Whittingham has indicated there are still a lot of positives from the first three games.

Utah Football opens #Big12 conference play against No. 14 Oklahoma State on Saturday. Here is how you can watch, stream, and listen to stay caught up with all the action!#Big12FB #GoUtes #CFB https://t.co/NdpVr64rcE

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 16, 2024

Here’s what we’ve learned about Utah Football.

Utah’s QB Room Is Much Better

Utah has their star quarterback in Cam Rising. He’s proven to be a winner and a very productive quarterback in his tenure at Utah. Though there were concerns coming into the season, those doubts were minimized by his play in the first six quarters of the season.

He suffered an injury and worry set in over Utah’s quarterback depth. Given the experience fans had last season with Utah’s quarterback situation, worry was understandable.

After working through some adrenaline and initial jitters, Wilson looked like a natural quarterback. The little things that make quarterbacks good, seemed to be effortless for Wilson. He was comfortable in the pocket, decisive as he worked through progressions, and made some truly impressive throws.

In his first career start, Isaac Wilson not only eased concerns but boosted the confidence level around Utah’s quarterback future.

It was a pretty impressive showing on Saturday. Moving forward, progression is all about attacking the learning curve for @Isaac_kawika. #GoUtes
https://t.co/zkj70ND3ru

— Steve Bartle (@BartleKSLsports) September 17, 2024

Impact Players Emerging

One of the fun dynamics of every season is seeing who emerges as impact players. Through three games, there are encouraging signs for a handful of guys.

Keanu Tanuvasa – The third-year defensive tackle has emerged as an impact player. Not only in regards to his play on the field and the production he generates (7 tackles, 2 loss, 1 sack, 6 pressures) but more so in the sense of his leadership. Tanuvasa has embraced the role and seems to be thriving in it.

Tao Johnson – He fits the mold of Utah’s free safety position to a T. And he’s made a positive impact in each of the last two games. He already has a “block-six” (a blocked field goal returned for touchdown), perhaps the hit of the season, and is second on the team in tackles (14).

Caleb Lohner – The converted basketball player has already hauled in two touchdown passes and blocked a field goal while narrowly missing another one. His attitude and work ethic also seem to point to a growing role for the rest of the season.

Smith Snowden – After an incredible interception against Utah State, it’s clear that Utah’s nickel has elevated his game this season. He’s been sound in coverage and is third on the squad in tackle (13).

Spencer Fano – After a freshman All-American campaign last season, Utah needed their prized tackle to take the next step. After a rough start in game one, Fano has settled in and is providing signs of that next-level play Utah hoped to get from him this season.

Van Fillinger – Finally healthy, Fillinger has looked great at times through three games. The Baylor game was perhaps his most impressive effort as a Ute. He’s been very productive so far as well, leading the team in tackles (16), sacks (3.5) and total pressures (10).

Others have flashed similar potential but just need a bit more time or impact on the field. What’s encouraging is that these players on the cusp are younger guys like Mike Mitchell, Dijon Stanley, Caleb Lomu, and Cam Calhoun.

Practice Reps Are Valuable

Freshman Isaac Wilson’s performance was hot and cold in the two halves of football he played to start the season. He got the start (and all the reps in practice) against Utah State and the difference in play was night and day.

Practice reps are invaluable to a quarterback’s development in the long-term but importantly, their play in the short term. Each opponent is a new test and every play serves as a question with a very short timer.

Quarterbacks have to process so much information in literally seconds. To be as sharp as they can be in processing all of that information, those practice reps help them to get a better feel for the opponent’s defense. They learn what to identify and how the offense can exploit certain looks.

That makes week-to-week practice reps as valuable to a seventh-year senior as they are to a freshman.

We have a kick time for Utah versus Arizona 🌙https://t.co/F6gqZsYtI9

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 16, 2024

Scoring Efficiency Is Paramount

With the rule change that eliminated the clock stoppage after 1st downs, college football games have started to decline in the overall game-time elapsed. It’s only trimmed off a few minutes but it’s actually had a bigger impact on the field.

Teams are able to put together longer possessions. If offenses convert a 1st down or string together two or three, they can possess the ball for a few minutes. Get a couple of teams that value ball control and that puts a real point of emphasis on converting scoring opportunities when they are there.

In the opening quarter of the season against SUU, Utah’s offense had one scoring drive and was in the midst of their second possession when the quarter expired. Essentially, in 15 minutes Utah had 1.5 possessions.

In week two, Utah had a seven-minute possession in the 4th quarter against Baylor. It spanned 11 plays and 65 yards, but a missed field goal ended the possession. Still, that seven minutes of possession served as the knockout punch in the game.

Converting on scoring opportunities will become markedly more important as games become tougher and more competitive in conference play.

Games Aren’t Won In The 1st Quarter

In three games, Utah has gotten off to three different starts.

Against SUU, the Utes were only able to post one touchdown on the board because the quarter ended in the middle of their second possession.

In week two against Baylor, Rising and the offense scored two touchdowns in the first six minutes before ending the period with a 17-0 advantage.

This past Saturday, Utah was only able to muster 3 points on the board after a sluggish start that included three other possessions ending in a punt.

Yet, Utah is sitting on a 3-0 record with a total margin of victory of 77 points. Each one of those games took on a very different feel after the 1st quarter. Utah scored four touchdowns in the second quarter against SUU. The defense had to step up significantly in the second half of the Baylor game. Utah came to life offensively, as they scored 25 unanswered points against the Aggies.

Whittingham’s ball club has provided a different spin on the take that it requires all four quarters to win a game each week this season.

Utah Football Schedule

Kyle Whittingham’s Utah program hits the road for their first conference game in a big matchup with Oklahoma State. You can find Utah football’s conference schedule here.