I found 12 preseason polls. Utah is ranked in all of them. They are ranked as high as 4th in two different polls including the Athletic and the Pro Football Network. They are ranked in the top 10 ten times. The only two exceptions are 13th (CBS Sports) and 20th (College Football News).
So most preseason polls think that the Utes are a top-ten team. Are they really? I think the jury is still out. We have a lot of reasons to be optimistic about our offense. They looked very good at the end of last season. Covey will be a big loss, but we have a lot of weapons. Our defense is an unknown right now. Can we replace Lloyd and Sewel? We have the studs, but can they deliver.
I think Utah is, and can end the season as a top 10 team. After a rough start last year, the offense really couldn’t be stopped. Most of the offensive production returns and that’s why Utah is being ranked favorably. Agreed that Covey is a huge loss, though.
Couple the good offense with what is always a solid defense under Whitt and Scalley (assuming we aren’t down to sixth string players and RBs playing corner). Lloyd and Sewell are huge losses, but this position group is stacked.
The nice thing is we will know if Utah is a pretender right out of the gate. Even though Florida is down, this is still a very tough road game. If Utah wins comfortably, then that is a sign of a VERY good season to come.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this. Here’s my take: If you lined up all of the Utah offenses from 2005 until now (the Whittingham era), I think the #1 offense was the 2021 team, and the #2 offense was the 2019 team (Huntley, Moss). And that is huge. We’re returning most of it. Amazing TE’s, amazing RB room, and a guy who I think will go down as the 2nd best QB in Utah football history behind Alex Smith based on his cojones alone. Solid O Line returnees, decent WR’s that are young and could continue to improve. So that’s great.
Defense, though, we’ve got to be honest. Our 2021 defense had an amazing individual talent in Lloyd. But I don’t think Tafua was quite as dominant as we’d hoped, and the fact that Junior Tafuna was able to do those amazing things as a freshman is great, but speaks a bit to not having as much high-end depth on the DL as usual. Then you combine secondary injuries. I’d say the 2021 defense was at best a middle of the road D from the Whittingham era. So this year with good health, increased secondary depth, the real question in my mind is the adjustment for Diabate and how Lander Barton / Justin Medlock play. We need it to be great out of the chute week 1. If they’re a top 25 percentile defense in the Whittingham era, then this year could be crazy.
I think we’re legitimate top 10, but a healthy step below what Alabama and Ohio State will be this year.
I agree that our 2021 offense was the best in the KW era (at least at the end of the season). We put up 45 points on OSU in the Rose Bowl. We have our QB back and most of the RB room back. With the addition of Glover we should be better IMO. Our two best receiving TEs are back and we have a whole host of other guys ready to play. The Covey loss will hurt as will losing two good offensive linemen. But, I am very excited about our offense.
I don’t think that our D was even an average KW defense. However, they did improve until the injury plague hit us hard. Personally, I am excited about our safeties. Our Dline needs to produce a better pass rush. We do have a deep LB room, but with very little playing experience. I don’t think we can expect Barton to come in and be an AA right off the bat.
I totally agree that we are not in the same league as Alabama, et al.
Go Utes!!!
Obviously what will happen next season is purely speculation, but if we are judging on past results, Utah is not that far away from Ohio State. Arguably, they are peers. I know it is easy to get starry-eyed about the SEC and blue-bloods, but Utah matched Ohio State blow for blow in the Rose Bowl, and was in the lead for the majority of that game. Also, Utah beat Bama the last time they played.
Again, I realize this year is different from the past. And I am not suggesting we should profess to be better than any of those schools. But I think it is okay to have a bit more confidence than we Utah fans are accustomed to having (the 70s and 80s have had some near permanent damage to our psyche).
You forgot about the most important and unbiased poll of them all, the Ute Hub poll:
What is your way too early preseason Utah Football raking?
Total Voters: 210
Completely scientific and unbiased.
Absolutely. Facts are facts. #trustthescience
Can’t remember where I read it, but if you get a group of enough people to offer an unbiased opinion you’ll find the average of the group is pretty accurate.
The example they used was that a large group guessed the weight of a 1000+ lb cow within three pounds.
So not surprised we UteHub members came up with these results.
This may have been in the book influencer, can’t remember.
#99 Sophomore DT from SLC East High
You are committed now. #GoUtes
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Simone Plourde, Skyler Blair and Josefine Eriksen of the Utah track & field team advanced to the quarterfinals Thursday night inside John McDonald Field to close out the first day of competition on the women’s side at NCAA West Regionals.
Plourde was the first Ute to take the track in the 1500m race and earned automatic qualifying spot into Saturday’s quarterfinal when she won her heat with a mark of 4:20.76 – which was a top-20 finish overall.
Eriksen ran a new personal best time on Thursday to also win her heat and earn an automatic spot in Saturday’s quarters for the 800m run with a mark of 2:04.63. That time also moved the sophomore into second all-time in the Utah record books. Manson saw her season come to an end on Thursday after posting a time of a 2:07.87 to just miss the qualifying mark.
Blair made it 3-for-3 for the Women of Utah in the 400m hurdles after securing a spot in the next round of races with a time of 58.66 – which was just off her previous PR of 58.54 that was set at Pac-12 Championships.
Saturday’s action for Utah will kick off at 4:15 p.m. (MT) / 5:15 p.m. (CT) local with the 1500m quarterfinals featuring Plourde and conclude at 7:45 p.m. (MT) / 8:45 p.m. (CT) local with the 4x400m relay. Fans can catch the final day competition via live stream on the ESPN.com/watch or on the ESPN App.
Just bring us back a “W”!
I too will be there with a large group of Utah fans who will be making the trip. The last time we played in Gainsville was 1977 when we lost 38-29. It was coach Wayne Howard’s first year and he was starting to turn things around.
Go Utes!!!
Thats awesome. I used to live in Gainesville and the worst part is trying to get there. The flights into GNV are long and expensive or you fly into Orlando and drive 2 hours north.
Ill be there, making the drive down from Indy.
I feel like the only Utah fan not going! Should be a good turnout, hoping to see a lot of red in the stands when I turn the tv on!
Have a group of about 15 going, gonna be a blast
What is your way too early preseason Utah Football raking?
Total Voters: 212
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