The Utes 2023 defense is much improved. Why?

[ProudUte]

Our 2022 defense was not great last year and that was with an offense that kept the ball longer than the 2023 offense. Why are we so much better?

We lost an All-American CB.
We lost a starting linebacker.
We lost a starting safety, but I think Vaki is much better than Herbert was on his best day.
We have had numerous injuries; i.e. Pepa, Tafuna, Fillinger. O’Toole, Fano, etc.
We do not have a lot of new players who are contributing. Fano, Battle, and Tao are the most significant newcomers.

Whitt said in August that this would be one of our best defenses and so far he has been right. I still think that the 2019 defense was better. But, honestly, I am surprised how much better we are this year than last. I guess it goes to prove that the more time a player is in this program the better he becomes. Scalley and the D coaches do a great job of developing talent.

[2008 National Champ]

The best offenses Utah will play in 2023 are still on the schedule. This year’s version looks better but is still susceptible to the big play and 5 of the remaining teams have shown that they are capable of making it hurt.

Many said before the season that this iteration of the Utah D might be one of the best ever but we won’t know because of the quality of the schedule. It’s too early to say that 2023 ends up better than 2022.

[SoCarolinaUte2]

2022 had a Offense that averaged 38.64 points a game. 466 yrds a game. And kept the ball on avg 33:40 a game. That kept the pressure off of the defense. We also did not have the injuries last year on defense we have this year.

As far as looking at the gauntlet of teams coming up, everyone agrees USC (whittingham says this year they grade out better then last year) Oregon and Washington and Oregon State Offenses are better then last year. So not sure your argument holds up.

[2008 National Champ]

My argument was that USC, Oregon, Washington, Arizona and Colorado all have as good or better offenses than they did in 2022 and Utah has not played them yet. Until they do, any conclusions on how good the 2023 defense is are premature.

[stbone]

I think the development of the DL, and specifically the DEs has been critical to the improvement of the D. We are now getting better pressure with the front 4 than at any time since at least 2019. (we already have 22 sacks vs 33 total in 2019). To show how good the current front four is, for the year in 2019, the front four had 22 sacks in 14 games, 2022 front four had 18 sacks in 14 games, the current front four already has 18 sacks in 6 games). There is a night-and-day difference between this front four and last year’s front four.

[22Ute22]

Very simple. Last year, 6/7 of the front 7 were underclassmen. We had a true freshman LB and a bunch of sophomore D-lineman and Karene Reid was also a sophomore. Diabate was the only upperclassmen, and although he is a great athlete, he was a bad schematic fit. Now that the front 7 is much older and experienced, they are better at stopping the run and getting pressure.

[Jim Vanderhoof]

Good points at at stbone and 22. I would also add the development of Vaki and Bishop. Those two might be the best tackling safeties in the country.

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