Utah is going to look much different this season with a number of key players from last year’s roster gone, but you can still expect another promising campaign from this program. The Utes’ defense, which piled up 37 sacks and limited opponents to just 22.3 points and 366.8 yards per game in 2015, is led by a strong front seven and should continue to inflict havoc on opponents.
Yes, the Utes are dealing with some major losses on this side of the field, particularly at the linebacker position with Gionni Paul, Jared Norris and Jason Whittingham having graduated. Other than that, though, the rest of the defense appears to be in good shape especially with their two dominant defensive ends in Kylie Fitts and Hunter Dimick back.
Plus, the team can also look forward to the return of junior Lowell Lotulelei. He was named in the All-Pac-12 first team after tallying five tackles for a loss and helping the Utes rank No. 1 in the conference in rushing defense (108.6 yards per game) last season.
Team Weaknesses
Utah is facing a lot of question marks on offense, and the most crucial one is none other than the void left by former starting quarterback Travis Wilson. The Utes, though, already have three candidates (Troy Williams, Brandon Cox, Tyler Huntley) in mind to serve as their next starter for next season, but that doesn’t guarantee that it’ll be a smooth transition.
And making that transition possibly harder is the fact that the Utes also have some holes to fill in the running back and wide receiver positions. Their top runner Devontae Booker and three best pass-catchers from last year are all gone. That’s likely one of the main reasons why the Utes are currently priced at +8,000 to win the national championship despite coming off their best season since joining the Pac-12 back in 2011.
2015 Team Stats
Category
Stat (Rank)
Points per game
30.8 (#55)
Passing yards per game
180.0 (#106)
Rushing yards per game
183.0 (#46)
Scoring defense
22.3 (#27)
Writer’s Prediction
The Utes (+8,000) finish the season with a 7-6 overall record.
