Defense

[Jay]

I’m worried about the defense, the only returning defensive end is tafua, and his 5 total sacks in 2 years starting is pretty alarming. The pass rush won’t be there, and our young dbs could get exposed if they’re not getting any help from the d line.

[User Suspended]

We have Scalley to save the day….

[dystopiamembrane]

Our defense has been suspect over the last couple of seasons. A focus on offensive weapons has buoyed our defensive decline.
-edit I have since learned that we had one of the top defenses during this period. I was incorrect.

[Hellhound152]

Suspect?  Utah was top 5 nationally in total Defense last season.  Top 15 in 2018.  Those would be the two best seasons in program history…    

[dystopiamembrane]

I hear what you are saying, and I have changed my mind. Thank you for the info.

[dystopiamembrane]

I have been thinking over the last couple of hours about my opinion regarding the defense.

I’ve come to the following conclusion.

Utah once had a dominant run-defense and stiflingly fast blitzing which overpowered offenses so quickly that most passing plays had no time to open – Sack Lake City. We then combined that defense with several high caliber folks in the secondary, causing even more havoc for QBs. Our defense was our offense.

I haven’t seen that dominance over the last couple of years. We’ve had games over that period within which the opposing QB was barely touched, if at all. Some offenses were able to throw over the top because we could not hurry these QBs.

This is why I had the opinion I expressed.

Again, I have learned that I was incorrect. 

[Central Coast Ute]

Max’s Tupai is back with the team. There are two returning DE’s. But I share your concern with the defense. 8 new starters and at this point we don’t know about the defensive coordinator spot. I suspect Whit will call the defense quite a bit if Scalley doesnt retain his job, but it’s still a distraction.

[Matthew Thomas Castleton]

Yes it will. Utah doesn’t rebuild on defense. They reload. The defensive line will be just fine. They’ll actually likely start 3 seniors and 1 junior. Here are my 2020 Defensive starters:

DE Mika Tafua (junior)

DE Maxs Tupai (senior)

DT Hauati Pututau (senior)

DT Viane Moala (senior)

LB Devin Lloyd (junior)

LB Sione Lund (junior)

CB Bronson Boyd (junior)

CB Clark Phillips III (freshman)

FS Vontae Davis (senior)

SS R.J. Hubert (junior)

NB Malone Mataele (sophomore)

[Jay]

Lund isn’t with the team, and hopeuflly boyd or davis won’t start or so help us, we should start broughton and ritchie

[D T]

Yeah, NR was recruited to come in & start immediately, just like CPIII.

And it remains to be seen if CPIII starts inside or outside.