Search Results for 'fano'

[Onlyu]

Really excited about Mitchell. We’ll see how he looks with the lights on but he has the makings of a great back here. Micah is very good and so is Glover. They’ve all had good camps and Stanley (Doodle) just brings something different to the equation that will help.

I’ve said it at least twice before. I am NOT worried a bit about our backs. There is plenty there to be a very productive group.

Arm talent is night and day in the QB room compared to last year so feel great about that room, obviously because of what you know you have in QB1. Singer is an NFL guy and we have all kinds of options next to him. TE group has everything…physicality, size, pass pro, run block and pass catching skills, etc.

O-line is talented and deep, D-line is crazy deep. 4-5 P4 quality starting guys. 2 highly experienced DE’s with talent and depth behind them…Fano, JHD, Akana, Fitz, etc. 4-5 playable safeties with experience, including a HM all PAC 12 guy in Gilman who is likely a backup here (though he’ll play a ton). 4-5 very good LB’s with a potential AA in Barton. 4-5 CB’s with nickel flexibility. Strong K, strong P, good return game.
Excited to see how a few guys like a Bentley, Mitchell, Reynolds or Pittman just add intangibles to the equation.
Just so many potential playmakers on both sides.

There will be adversity, we’ll need a few bounces to go our way but this is the year we’ve envisioned for the past handful of years with those veterans coming back. So much to be confident about and they know it.

Stay healthy and this is the best team we’ve ever put on the field imo and it might not be that close.

[Central Coast Ute]

It’s clear this guy didn’t watch Utah last year, or like Tony said, it’s purely political reporting and not based in fact. Most of the pass blocking issues last were were Barnes’ fault. And if they weren’t, it was partly his fault.
To be fair, I do remember Fano giving up a few but he was a true freshman and will be better this year.

[22Ute22]

I want to see Cam, Kuithe, Barton, and Fano look back to their pre injury selves. I want to see QB2 (Isaac Wilson) get meaningful reps to build experience. At the end of the day, Cam might get miss some time, and we need to be prepared for that. I don’t wanna see a bunch of runs to close out a game. Let IW build chemistry with the WR’s against SUU

[ProudUte]

As of yesterday, they are at #17. I know that it means nothing, but it is interesting to see where the local media guys place players.

The biggest underrated player so far, IMO, is Tao Johnson at #40. I think he is going to be a great safety for the Utes. BYU has a couple of DBs ranked better than him, which makes no sense to me.

Singer got ranked #21 (which will be the best ranking for any Utah WR). BYU’s Lassiter is #17. Pittman and Parks have already been rated and I don’t think Alford was on the ballot since he was signed late.

I think O’Toole is under-ranked at #23, but I can understand this because he has not had a full, healthy season at Dend yet.

Key Utah players yet to be ranked include: Rising, Kuithe, Spencer Fano, Reid, Barton. Tafuna, Fillinger, Bernard. (I might be missing someone.)

[Onlyu]

My best guess as of this week. Things could change throughout camp.

Rising/Rose
Bernard/Mitchell
Kuithe/Bentley
Singer/Pittman/Parks
Lomu
Togiai
Kump
Moko
Fano

O’Toole
Tanuvasa
Tafuna
Fillinger
Barton
Reid
Snowden
Tao
Ritchie
Vaughn
Kenan

[UtesRule]

Continuing with the position reviews of the 2024 Utah football team, today I’ll focus on the D-Line!
The depth and dominance of this all-important part of the team will allow Utah’s Defense to match the potential strength of the Offense, in what could be a fantastic season for Utah!
Defensive Ends currently listed on the roster includes:
Logan Fano – So., 6’4” 250 lbs
Van Fillinger – Sr., 6’4” 265 lbs
Elijah Eliss – Fr., 6’2” 200 lbs
Paul Fitzgerald – So., 6’3” 240 lbs
Vili Taufatofua – RS So., 6’3” 250 lbs
Ka’eo Akana – So., 6’3” 233 lbs
Connor O’Toole – Sr., 6’4” 250 lbs
John Henry Daley – Fr., 6’4” 253 lbs
Kash Dillon – Fr., 6’5” 222 lbs
Defense Tackles currently listed on the roster includes:
Keanu Tanuvasa – So., 6’4” 301 lbs
Junior Tafuna – Sr., 6’3” 308 lbs
Simote Pepa – Jr., 6’3” 332 lbs
Jonah Lea’ea – RS Fr., 6’5” 247 lbs
James LeBaron – So., 6’3” 279 lbs
Bobby Piland Jr. – RS Fr., 6’0” 308 lbs
Aliki Vimahi – Sr., – 6’4” 305 lbs
Jori Benson – So., 6’4” 302 lbs
Dallas Vakalahi – Fr., 6’2” 305 lbs
Tevita Fotu – Sr., 6’5” 299 lbs
Another loaded and highly talented position group on this team. Let’s start the breakdown with the Defensive Tackles.
Defensive Tackles most likely to get significant PT and wreak havoc on opposing team’s include (listed in order of most significant impact, IMO):
Junior Tafuna – This senior is a beast and should be 1st Team All-Big12!
Aliki Vimahi – Also a senior and poised for a 1st Team All-Big12 type season!
Simote Pepa – Junior is a wrecking ball of destruction who often demands a double team, just to try to contain him!
Tevita Fotu – Another senior who should have an outstanding season!
Keanu Tanuvasa – After a surprising Freshman season, Keanu is likely to have an even bigger impact as a HIGH quality backup, getting starting reps.
DT’s who will provide the depth needed to keep this unit fresh and dominating throughout games and the season:
Jonah Lea’ea – RS Freshman out of Bishop Gorman HS in Las Vegas has been making waves in Spring Ball and early in Fall camp.
Dallas Vakalahi – The freshman, home from a mission, was a BIG TIME get out of West High School in the 2022 recruiting cycle. Expecting big things out of this beast!
Defenseive End’s most likely to re-ignite Sack Lake City in 2024 include (listed in order of most significant impact, IMO):
Logan Fano – Has been 100% recovered from his knee injury suffered while recording a sack in Corvalis for several weeks and is ready to continue piling up sacks in 2024. My top candidate for Mayor of Sack Lake City this season.
Connor O’Toole – Also coming into 2024 FULLY healthy and will create an incredible 1-2 punch and push Fano as Mayor of Sack Lake City.
Van Fillinger – Is Van really a Senior…already??!! As healthy as he’s ever been at the start of the season, expecting a solid season from Van, recording high single digit, possibly low double digit sacks and putting a lot of pressure on opposing team’s Quarter Backs. With his size and physicality, he will also be a beast in rush defense!
Backup’s with high potential to provide depth this season include:
Kash Dillon – Sleeper pick as a freshman contributor on this 2024 team. Kash was the # 6 recruit in the State of Utah last year, out of Corner Canyon, who has quickly become the top talent producer in a state that (after California, Texas and Florida) is quickly becoming a pretty solid D1 producing football state. As a senior at Corner Canyon, he recorded 35 tackles, 13.0 tackles for loss and 10.0 sacks.
John Henry Daley – Freshman transfer from the TDS, has a great pedigree, size and motor to be a contributor in 2024, and a leader in 2025.
If the 2024 D-Line lives up to the high expectations it has, this will provide the backbone of what could easily be the best defense Utah has put on the field since 2019!
Go Utes!

Next position group I’ll review will be the O-Line.

[MDUte]

Lot of coach speak from Whitt, Scalley, Ludwig but some good stuff coming from the position coaches. My favorite was Coach Shah’s interview. He provides good insight into the DB room with Vaughn/Johnson as the likely starters and Snowden pushing also for outside DB playing time while being slated as the starting Nickel. Was great to hear Shah speak highly of CJ Blocker and he feels that Blocker is going to take a huge step forward this year.
Safeties are sounding solid as well with Tao Johnsen as the leader of the pack. But Nate Ritchie is back to his pre-mission form. Jonathan Hall is right there as well, along with Gilman.
Harding said he feels confident in 8 guys right now and hoping to get that number up to 10 by the start of the season. Sounds like he’s definitely expecting Ike Garcia to contribute right away this year, likely in the 2 deep rotation.
Luther Elliss and Lewis Powell have an embarrassment of depth and talent across the DL. Having a healthy O’Toole, Fillinger, and Logan Fano to start the season is huge. Lots of young talent behind these 3. DTs are loaded as well, highlighting Junior Tafuna, Simote Pepa, and Keanu Tanuvasa.
And WRs/TEs rooms is the most talented and deepest the coaches have seen as stated by Freddie Whittingham. Bottom line, this team is loaded across the board. Hopefully we come out of Fall Camp healthy and the new guys feel that much more comfortable and integrated into the system. But some awfully tasty Koolaid for anyone interested…enjoy! Go Utes!!
Camp Kyle – Day 1 interviews

[UtesRule]

Defense as a whole should be great! Should be the best defense since 2019.

[MDUte]

So excited to have Logan Fano back and fully healthy going into Spring Camp. I think we had already heard he’s been cleared and is full-go to start Fall Camp. But he confirms it again here with his conversation with Steve Bartle.

Connor O’Toole on one side with Logan Fano on the either is the 2 headed monster that will put the fear into any defense! The DL is going to be NASTY this year…can’t wait! Go Utes!!

Golf Cart Convo’s: @LoganFano #ATG24 pic.twitter.com/jUU3W3OzF4

— Steve Bartle (@SBartle247) July 26, 2024

[Jim Vanderhoof]

Thanks onlyu. Fano struggled some as a freshman at left tackle. Move to right tackle maybe better run blocking and more experienced. Tao will have a breakout at safety which is the hardest position to play on our defense in my opinion.