Search Results for '2023'

[ThurstonW]

Utes got a commitment from a solid 3* RB today.  Michael Mitchell out of Middleburg, FL.  Good get!  GO UTES!!!

[PhiladelphiaUte]

Per Rivals, he’d received six P5 offers:  Utah, Boston College, Kansas St, Nebraska, Purdue, and Washington St.  Seven if you count Houston.

[dystopiamembrane]

Utes projected as a 5-seed in the Way-Too-Early Bracketology.

 

[dystopiamembrane]

The 2022 season is within sight, which means it’s time to put a bow on the annual crystal-balling exercise known as Future Power Rankings. The team list is here.

The team rankings examine the programs on a macro level for the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons. Factors such as coaching changes and stability, and recent on-field/recruiting trajectory, hold more value in this list. The increased importance of the transfer portal and even name, image and likeness can’t be discounted when doing a projection such as this one.

At its core, FPR remains personnel-based, and assesses how current and future players will impact performance for their teams. Recruiting in the past few seasons or projected success in 2023 carries some weight. But some programs consistently outperform their recruiting rankings and deserve to be recognized appropriately in the team list.

14. Utah Utes

2022 Future QB ranking: 14
2022 Future offense ranking: 23
2022 Future defense ranking: 12
2021 Future team ranking: 25

Scouting the Utes: I surely will take some heat for slotting Utah behind an Oregon team it spanked twice last season to win the Pac-12. The Utes surely would rank ahead of the Ducks (and USC) in a one-year projection. The key for coach Kyle Whittingham’s program is to keep building on offense, a unit that surged late last season. Quarterback Cam Rising and running back Tavion Thomas both return with junior eligibility. Utah’s post-Rising outlook is promising after signing top-100 national prospect Nate Johnson in the 2022 class. The team also has some insurance behind Thomas in sophomore Micah Bernard, who averaged 6 yards per carry in limited action last fall. Utah’s line must overcome some attrition but projects fairly well, as All-Pac-12 performers Braeden Daniels and Sataoa Laumea return at tackle and guard, respectively. Jim Harding is one of the nation’s best line coaches and should produce a solid group in 2023 and 2024. Utah gets star tight end Brant Kuithe and fellow senior Dalton Kincaid for one more year, but must find more at wide receiver. Sophomore Devaughn Vele, who averaged 16.9 yards per catch in 2021, is a building block, but the Utes need others.

Utah’s defense is consistently solid and occasionally elite, and should maintain its trajectory through 2024. The unit loses All-American linebacker Devin Lloyd, top pass-rusher Mika Tafua and solid contributors such as linebacker Nephi Sewell, but also returns plenty of notables. Cornerback Clark Phillips III could contend for national honors this fall and has three years of eligibility remaining. Phillips and safety Cole Bishop, who had nine tackles for loss and five pass breakups in 2021, will lead a secondary also featuring junior cornerback JaTravis Broughton, who returns from injury, and sophomore cornerback Faybian Marks. Utah will need transfers Mohamoud Diabate (Florida) and Gabe Reid (Stanford), as well as returnees such as Karene Reid, to stabilize a linebacker position that loses a lot from last year’s team. Defensive line should remain a strength, as Van Fillinger and Junior Tafuna are set to lead the next few seasons. Other players such as sophomore tackle Aliki Vimahi are also on the rise. Utah’s recruiting is on the uptick with prospects such as ESPN 300 linebacker Lander Barton.

espn.com article

[utahby05]

Caleb Bryant commits. Nice D Line get !  

Recruiting: A look at who has committed to Utah football for the 2023 recruiting class | KSL.com 

Hope Caleb’s Twitter link works.  “Hey Coach Whit.  Let’s do this Bruh!”   Ha, ha.   Gotta like this guys Swagger ! 

 

Football Recruiting continues to kill it !! 

 Go Utes !!

[dystopiamembrane]

IRVING, Texas – Two former University of Utah Football standouts, quarterback Alex Smith and safety Eric Weddle, were named to the 2023 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Smith, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2005 after earning first-team All-America honors in 2004, finished his career at Utah with 5,203 passing yards and 47 touchdowns along with 1,072 rushing yards and 15 rushing scores. He was a two-time All-MWC selection, earning MWC Offensive Player of the Year and National Player of the Year by Sports Illustrated in 2004.

The 2005 Fiesta Bowl MVP went on to have a 16-year career in the NFL, earning Pro Bowl invitations three times and being named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year after returning to the field from a gruesome leg injury that almost took his life. Off the field, the 2020 Academic All-America Hall of Fame inductee founded the Alex Smith Foundation, which provides foster teens with the tools and resources needed to transition to successful adulthood.

Weddle wrapped up his career at Utah with 277 tackles, which included 165 solo stops, 10.0 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss, along with nine forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries (2 TD), 18 interceptions (3 TD) and 23 pass breakups. He held the Mountain West record in interceptions (18), still ranking second all-time at Utah.

He was the MWC Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006, also earning first-team All-MWC in those years to become a four-time all-conference selection. He was a consensus All-American in 2006, also earning Freshman All-America by the FWAA in 2003.

Weddle spent 14 years in the NFL, earning two All-Pro first-team selections, three second-team nods, six Pro Bowl invites and helped the L.A. Rams win the Super Bowl LVI in 2021 after coming out of retirement. He also has launched a jewelry line to benefit organizations providing resources to domestic violence victims while also supporting charities with his wife, Chanel, to fight against childhood cancer and breast cancer.

utahutes.com article

[dystopiamembrane]

I choose E-other. I think you are forgetting that in the year 2023 Earth is colonized by the inhabitants of a planet belonging to one of our Heavenly Uncles. The populace will be enslaved and the only “sport” we watch will be the torture activities of our new overlords as we cower in the corners of our cages.

[OldAsDirtUte]

Mountain West to eliminate football divisions in 2023 season, announces revamped championship game format – CBSSports.com

[highlandute7]

Divisions still in place this year if I understand it right. Sounds like they will go away starting in 2023. From an article I read:

 

“According to the release, this change was passed with unanimous support from coaches in the Pac-12, as well as athletic directors and board of directors.

The Pac-12 says that the current 2022 schedule, with matchups based on divisions, will remain in place, but things will be re-evaluated after the season. There is a feeling that the conference could do away with divisions in the near future.”

[PhiladelphiaUte]

It’s also unfortunate that Utah had spend the past month on the cusp of a Top-20 ranking, and as of Monday, we were the top team receiving votes.  And then Denver lost.  And no matter what happens tomorrow, Army or Boston will lose.  So all we had to do to finish in the polls, was beat a team we were leading with only 3-min to play — who for the record, we’d already beaten 3-wks ago by 10-pts.   And then we lose in OT.  Season over.  No chance at a final ranking.

That said, this was our first year playing with a full roster of scholarship athletes.  I’m curious as to what our next year’s team will look like.  Technically, Josh Stout (A) and Casey Wasserman (M) were our only seniors, so that means we should have a lot of talent and experience returning.  But before the Detroit game, Utah honored 9 “seniors”.  So it’s possible that underclassman Goal Keeper Zion Dechesere (junior) may not be be returning in 2023.  If he doesn’t, that’s gonna be a big hit to the program.