Mike Mitchell

[ProudUte]

Mike Mitchell posted that he has been working very hard to gain weight and muscle since spring camp. He indicated that he has gained ten pounds since April and is now at 218.

He also posted how impressed he is with Singer, saying, “He is the real deal.”

Oh, he also said Cam Rising is good to go!!!

I have been hearing good things about Mitchell. Maybe he will be the leading rusher this fall.

[MDUte]

This is my hope as well Proud! Thanks for posting this!

[Central Coast Ute]

I’m hoping he blossoms into the next Zack Moss. He’s just a freshman, so it might be too soon to put that much weight on his shoulders. The good thing is, Utah still has Micah Bernard for this season.

[ProudUte]

I suspect that Bernard will be RB1. However, I am not sure who will lead the team in carries and yards. I am just happy to hear that Mitchell put on some weight and strength.

[UteThunder]

I think Bernard will lead the RBs in targets and receptions, but he will not have the most carries.

[Anfernee]

He’s a redshirt. So he’s at least had a year in the program.

[Utah5410]

It cannot be undersold how important Micah Bernard is.

True leader, tough as nails, knows the offense inside and out, tough runner, GREAT pass catcher out of the back field and a GREAT pass blocker.

He is not an every down back. My only concern for our O is that we don’t have that RB that can carry us there the way we may need in some of those tough grind it out D only games.

Hopefully our passing attack will be so elite that it won’t matter. But either way. So grateful Bernard is back.

[RedUte14]

D only game in the big12? dont make me laugh

[Yergensen]

Why isn’t Micah an every down back? He does everything well including run between the tackles.

The short yardage bruiser that we seem to be so fond of is pretty much obsolete in today’s game. The running back model today looks more like Micah Bernard and less like Tavion Thomas.

[Jim Vanderhoof]

Simple answer durability. He runs extremely hard and takes a lot of hits. Great 3rd down back receiving and blocking.Not built for 20 carries a game. He should play a big role I’m hoping Glover has gotten stronger and can break the arm tackles. He has the body type for more carries. Mitchell sounds like Glover type also.

Hopefully we will be more pass heavy this year since we don’t have the big 20+ carries back. Get the ball downfield to the playmakers. This isn’t a 4 yrds and a cloud of dust type team.

[Yergensen]

I think throughout Micah’s career we’ve given him a full workload in 2 games at start of 2021 season. That’s it. So, he didn’t prove durable in those 2 tests and he’s been on a pitch count ever since? The only durability or health issue I’m aware of are the cramping issues and those don’t seem to be wear and tear.

Here are the stats from those 2 games Micah was featured: 29 carries/193 yds/1 TD.

I don’t think we’ve used him as the feature back since.

[2008 National Champ]

the 2022 usage was the only year that was puzzling since Thomas was ineffective or in trouble after the Florida game but Bernard was only used in passing situations. There was talk that Bernard was dinged up but I don’t think we ever got a definitive answer.

2021 he had the great game against the parochial school, was ineffective in the loss to SDSU and then got hurt early against WSU. By the time he got healthy again, Thomas had taken over.

2023 was the off-field injury but he still wasn’t able to beat out an injured Johnson coming out of fall camp. He was also behind Jordan, Brumfield and Wilmore in 2020. So it’s not like he hasn’t had plenty of chances to make the job his.

[Yergensen]

MB was behind only Ty Jordan in 2020. Backed Ty up, was 2nd RB in rotation. You’re thinking 2019. Both Wilmore and Brumfeld transferred out in 2020 offseason despite the loss of Ty.

[D T]

Didn’t those guys transfer before TJ passed?

[2008 National Champ]

Jordan was RB3 to start 2020. He took over during the UW game (game 2).

There’s an argument to be made that with a “normal” fall camp, Jordan would have started the season as RB1 but it would be speculation. Brumfield started the first 2 games with Wilmore backing him up.

Utah 2020 Stats

Brumfield and Wilmore entered the portal on Dec. 14 – between Colorado and WSU – before Jordan shot himself and neither changed their mind/were allowed back.

edit: 2019 was Moss and no one was taking that job away from him. Wilmore started the season as RB2. Jordan didn’t arrive until the 2020 class.

[Yergensen]

Micah got 8 carries the last 2 games of 2020, none for Brumfeld or Wilmore. In fact, I don’t remember either one appeared in both games.

[2008 National Champ]

yes, they’d both entered the portal before the WSU game which explains those zero’s.

it takes a couple of days for names to be officially in the portal so they (brumfield and wilmore) either decided before the Colorado game that they were done or did so because they didn’t get any touches that game. I remember at the time thinking it was weird that Jordan and Bernard were getting all the run but in retrospect it seems pretty obvious that the staff knew they had their next great back and wanted to see what Bernard could do also. And then xmas came.,,

I’d really have loved to see what Jordan was going to be able to accomplish but the running game was just fine in 21 & 22.

[22Ute22]

Maybe it’s just me, but glover doesn’t need to get stronger, at least that shouldn’t be his focus. He looked his best against Colorado when he was using his shiftiness to evade tackles. Glover should have focused on his short burst quickness and agility. Quickness would help him break tackles anyway, due to increased momentum.

[2008 National Champ]

can’t stay healthy

[RustyShackleford]

Because he’s not. He’s proven he can’t handle 15+ carries a game. He’s a great pass catcher and occasional runner. He’s a great player but I do not understand why everyone thinks he is the answer to our RB room.

[Central Coast Ute]

I don’t think anyone thinks he’s the answer. It’s nice to have someone like him while the younger guys develope.

[Anfernee]

There’s not one defense (besides ours) that I see in the Big12 making it a grind it out D only kinda game.

[2008 National Champ]

Iowa State is very similar to Utah in approach. K State and Ok State are also capable of playing great D depending on the year. Aranda at Baylor is a former D Coordinator and he’s taking a bigger role on that side of the ball to try to save his job.

[ukiyoronin]

I know it’s a bit of a question mark, but I think the RB room will surprise us. Reason is, last year every team we played knew Barnes wasn’t a great passer and that he made bad decisions under pressure. So the box was constantly stacked against the RBs, and the rushing was always heavy. The opposing defenses never really respected Barnes as a passer. This year, they won’t be able to do that. They’ll be forced to respect the pass, the runs will open up, and our RBs will make big plays. We’ve got great guys. I think they just need a fair shot to show us what they’ve got.

[D T]

I heard MM speak yesterday in X Spaces….He did in fact state he’s up to 218 & hasn’t lost any speed….He believes he can be a 1K rusher this year.

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