Quick thoughts on next year after a night’s sleep.

Utah returns all that secondary on defense, maybe Chase heals up finally. I think the defense might get scary good again. I am more optimistic about that happening Vs the offense carrying the team. It just isn’t in Whitts MO for a team to do that. You had at times some great coverage against Washington that led to sacks. Giving up late scores shows the youth of that defensive unit. 

Fulks has the butter fingers he has had some chances this season but I bet he is too unreliable. Impressed with Singleton the past few games. Utah has to figure out the Oline to give Huntley some time. Utah needs to get a ground attack going to grind out the end of the games.  You have a Booker or Joe Williams you end it when it was 30-23 after the fourth down stop. 

Defensively- assuming Chase is back (because of his injuries this year) and the entire secondary with Blair, Ballard, Hughes, Blackmon, Burgess, Afia, Johnson, Guidry returning, etc you’ll probably see Chase down in the box more.  It will be one of th top secondaries in the league if not the country if Blair is healthy and Hansen is back. Still very good without them.  Tyronne Smith and Nigel King bring even more depth there.  

At LB you’re right…a little thin but Thompson and Barton return, add Chase and young talent not on the field in Devin Lloyd and whatever JC kid they bring in. Mika Tufua (3/4 Star add from TDS) at 6’3” 228 is another option there.  Francis Bernard was a lock there sans the DUI.  Highly unlikely now.  My guess is we’ll end up fine there.

Penisni, Anae and Fotu return along with Tupai, Hart, Repp, Davir Hamilton, Tufua…Young and very talented recruits coming in…they’ll reload on the DL.  

Won’t be much of a defensive drop off from this year at all in my eyes…chance to be better on the edge and even better against the pass.  

Watch the recruiting battle in Texas over Erik Ezukanma. He is a receiver in the Carrington mold. The battle is down to Texas Tech and Utah. Last week there was a lot of buzz he was moving from a Utah lean to a Texas Tech lean, but with the loss yesterday that whole staff may be let go. So this one will be a fun one to watch.

We lose both starting LBs, but there is experience behind them as well as D-line losses. I expect the D to be really good next year. Offensive line will again be the potential weak spot, depending on how well they develop. We really need some recruiting wins there. We have two sign and sends committed and we just lost a developmental player with a lot of up side (although he may have been slotted for the defense) to Washington. Guys like Penei Sewell and Junior Angileu are tough battles to win, but we really need some success there.

Offensively you have real weapons all over the field…much deeper on the O-line…add Shyne, Bronson Boyd and Covey to what’s already out there and we become really dangerous for the first time in a long time. Bryan Thompson, Samson Nacua and Tyquez Hampton will continue to emerge along with Singleton, Simpkins and Wilson

Boyd opposite of Covey inside will be a HUGE nightmare for opposing defenses with Huntley the next few years. 

4 real running backs with TJ Green thrown in next year.  

Special teams will be awesome as usual.

Chance to be outstanding…

That’s what I like about UteHub, people here are very informative. Makes me think that next year the Utes will be very formidable on both sides of the ball and they’re gonna need it because the ‘real’ season begins in week three @ RES against Washington (I believe?). Then on the road against Wazzu in week four?