2008 Utah Football
Kyle Whittingham picked up right where Urban Meyer left off. The Utah Utes remain a force in the MWC with a 9-4 record last year, capped off with a hard-fought 35-32 win over Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl. The Utes return 16 starters this season and look to push powerhouse BYU for the conference crown. See where this team ranks in Info Plays eyes with our 2008 Utah Utes football predictions below.
Offense:
Urban Myer may be gone to “ The Swamp,” but his spread offense lives through his quarterback legacy in Brian Johnson. This senior ranked fourth nationally in total offense in 2005 as a true sophomore. This came before he tore and ACL in the 10th game of the season, forcing Johnson to take a medical redshirt in ‘06. In 2007 he injured his shoulder in the first half of the season opener against Oregon State. He then missed the next two games and avoided running and scrambling as much when he returned. This was indicated by last year’s 150 yards rushing compared to the 478 yards he had on the ground two years ago.
Johnson wasn’t the only casualty in the opener last year. Junior college transfer running back Matt Asiata was lost for the year with a broken leg. Top wideout Brent Casteel soon folled on the injury list. Some teams would fold at this point, but Utah went on to beat then 13th-ranked UCLA. But coach Whittingham couldn’t figure out his team. The MWC upset of the year came in the following weak, when UNLV blanked the Utes 27-0. But then Johnson returned and Darrell Mack emerged at running back to lead Utah on a seven-game winning streak. Mack returns and Asiata looked sharp in the spring. The spread offense can’t seem to have enough help at receiver. Casteel starts along side Bradon Godfrey, and Utah signed five-star junior college transfer Aiona Key along with another highly ranked pass-catcher in David Reed. The line is set with All-MWC candidates Zane Beadles at tackle and Caleb Schlauderaff and Robert Conley at guard.
Defense:
Whittingham was the defensive coordinator when Urban Meyer ran the show at Utah. Under his guidance, the Utes have displayed a tenacious 4-3 defense marked by physical play up front and a collection of solid athletes in the secondary. Even in a rebuilding year for the secondary last year, Utah was still one of the top teams nationally against the pass. The Utes had 17 interceptions and allowed just nine passing touchdowns, and ranked 5th nationally in points allowed.
Cornerback Brice McCain is the top cover man, breaking up 11 passes last year. Eight other defensive backs return, but only three of the front seven are back. The defense won’t have to carry the team as it did early last season, with three injuries that devastated the offense. Utah better make sure its best defense is in hand for the season opener at Michigan, though.
Utah Football Predictions at Info Plays: 2nd in the Mountain West
Utah’s best recruiting class in years will help with depth hopefully help the Utes pull off a few surprises. In the conference, there is no reason why Utah won’t be in the title hunt until the season-finale against BYU. This looks to be Whittingham’s best team of his 4-year tenure.
See how well the Talented In-State Recruits have helped the Utes with an article by the Salt Lake Tribune.
Mountain West Wins Expected in ‘08: UNLV, at Air Force, at Wyoming, COLORADO STATE, TCU, at San Diego State
Potential Scares/Losses: at New Mexico, BYU
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