Utah (9-4 SU/7-6 ATS in 2016)
June 10 Power Rating: 77.40 (#41)
Returning Starters: 9 (4 offense, 5 defense)
Key Losses: RB Joe Williams, WR Tim Patrick, C J.J. Dielman, LG Isaac Asiata, LT Garrett Bolles, RT Sam Tevi, DE Hunter Dimick, DE Pita Taumoepenu, FS Marcus Williams, CB Brian Allen and K Andy Phillips
2017 Recruiting Class Rank: #32
2016 Season Recap: After a 10-win season in 2015, the expectation heading into 2016 was that Utah would take a step back (season win total was 7.5 at South Point). However, the Utes, like they have many times under head coach Kyle Whittingham, exceeded expectations. Utah opened up the season with an expected win over Southern Utah then survived a late 2-point conversion attempt to beat rival BYU for the 6th straight time. After a win over San Jose State, the Utes got a late TD to beat USC. The next week Utah came up short as they were stuffed at the goal line late against California. Utah would rebound to beat Arizona and won another close game vs Oregon State. The Utes would win a shoot-out at UCLA thanks to the return of RB Williams (332 rushing yards), but fell late at home in a showdown against Washington (Utes still covered). After a blowout win at Arizona State, Utah was upset at home vs Oregon as 2-TD favorites when the Ducks hit a late TD pass. The Utes would then lose by 5 at eventual Pac-12 South champ Colorado (still covered). In the bowl, the Utes got a late FG to win by two as Whittingham incredibly moved to 10-1 straight up in bowl games.
Offense Per Game Rank
Scoring 29.8 60
Rushing 214.0 32
Passing 216.7 78
Total 430.7 51
Defense Per Game Rank
Scoring 23.9 33
Rushing 128.7 22
Passing 254.3 101
Total 383.0 48
Utah (SU: 9-4, ATS: 7-6, O/U: 6-7)
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
W/L
|
Line
|
Score
|
Total
|
9/1
|
Southern Utah
|
L
|
-29
|
24-0
|
u51.5
|
9/10
|
BYU
|
L
|
-3.5
|
20-19
|
u44
|
9/17
|
at San Jose St
|
W
|
-13.5
|
34-17
|
o46.5
|
9/23
|
USC
|
W
|
-3
|
31-27
|
o45
|
10/1
|
at California
|
L
|
+1
|
23-28
|
u65
|
10/8
|
Arizona
|
W
|
-9.5
|
36-23
|
o53.5
|
10/15
|
at Oregon St
|
L
|
-7.5
|
19-14
|
u41
|
10/22
|
at UCLA
|
W
|
+6.5
|
52-45
|
o43
|
10/29
|
Washington
|
W
|
+10.5
|
24-31
|
o54.5
|
11/10
|
at Arizona St
|
W
|
-4.5
|
49-26
|
o56
|
11/19
|
Oregon
|
L
|
-13
|
28-30
|
u70.5
|
11/26
|
at Colorado
|
W
|
+10.5
|
22-27
|
u53.5
|
12/28
|
† Indiana
|
L
|
-6
|
26-24
|
u54.5
|
2017 Outlook: The Utes only bring back four starters on offense, but one of them is QB Troy Williams who threw for 2,757 yards (15-8 TD-to-INT ratio). Williams was battling Tyler Huntley and Alabama transfer Cooper Bateman in the spring. Utah does suffer a massive loss at RB in Joe Williams who ran for 1,407 yards last year despite missing a few games. Zack Moss and Armand Shyne did combine for 755 yards and both return.
The Utes also lose 3 of their top 4 receivers including WR Tim Patrick who had 711 yards. Raelon Singleton (464 yards last year) leads the group. However, the biggest losses come on the offensive line where the Utes not only lost four starters but all four were taken in the NFL Draft led by first-round OT Garrett Bolles.
The defense returns five starters including their top 2 tacklers in SS Chase Hansen (90 tackles in 2016) and LB Cody Barton (66 tackles). Up front, they do lose DE Hunter Dimick who led the Pac-12 last year in sacks with 14.5, but the Utes do bring back two-time 1st-team All-Pac 12 DT Lowell Lotulelei.
The special teams unit loses 4-time All-Pac-12 kicker Andy Phillips (21 of 25 FG’s last year). On the bright side, Ray Guy Award winner (nation’s top punter) Mitch Wishnowsky returns after averaging 47.7 yards per punt in 2016.
Projected Starting Line-up
Offense:
QB #3 Troy Williams 6-2 208 Sr
RB #2 Zack Moss 5-10 210 So
WR #11 Raelon Singleton 6-3 212 Jr
WR #17 Demari Simpkins 5-10 181 So
WR #80 Siaosi Wilson 6-2 193 So
TE #88 Harrison Handley 6-5 250 Sr
LT #70 Jackson Barton 6-7 312 Jr
LG #77 Darrin Paulo 6-5 312 So
C #69 Lo Falemaka 6-5 287 Sr
RG #74 Salesi Uhatafe 6-5 320 Sr
RT #NA Jordan Agasiva 6-4 345 Jr
Defense:
LE #56 Bradlee Anae 6-3 259 So
LT #45 Filipo Mokofisi 6-3 290 Sr
RT #93 Lowell Lotulelei 6-2 320 Sr
RE #11 Kylie Fitts 6-4 260 Sr
MLB #10 Sunia Tauteoli 6-0 227 Sr
ROVER #5 Kavika Luafatasaga 6-4 235 Sr
NB #1 Boobie Hobbs 5-10 180 Sr
CB #23 Julian Blackmon 6-1 187 So
SS #22 Chase Hansen 6-3 220 Jr
FS #15 Corrion Ballard 6-3 205 Jr
CB #21 Tyrone Smith 6-4 204 Jr
Top 5 Incoming Recruits:
4-star DB Jaylon Johnson 6-0 181
4-star DB Corrion Ballard 6-3 202
4-star DB Marquise Blair 6-2 185
3-star WR Tyquez Hampton 6-2 204
3-star WR Bryan Thompson 6-2 181
2017 Schedule With Early Projected Lines
Date
|
Opponent
|
Line
|
8/31
|
North Dakota
|
-24
|
9/9
|
at BYU
|
+5
|
9/16
|
San Jose St
|
-25
|
9/22
|
at Arizona
|
-2
|
9/30
|
Bye
|
|
10/7
|
Stanford
|
+6
|
10/14
|
at USC
|
+20
|
10/21
|
Arizona St
|
-6
|
10/28
|
at Oregon
|
+10
|
11/3
|
UCLA
|
-1
|
11/11
|
Washington St
|
PK
|
11/18
|
at Washington
|
+18
|
11/25
|
Colorado
|
-3
|
Schedule Analysis: Utah plays one of the toughest schedules in the country this year. While non-conference games against North Dakota and San Jose State should be easy wins, Utah must travel to in-state rival BYU where they figure to be small underdogs. The conference slate is simply brutal as Utah’s four crossover games against the Pac-12 North are against the Top 4 teams. The Utes will likely be favored at Arizona to kick off conference play, but will likely be home underdogs to Stanford. A road trip to USC will probably be Utah’s largest underdog role of the season. They follow it up with a winnable home game vs Arizona State (Utes around a TD favorite). Utah has a tough road game at Oregon and then play two home games against UCLA and Washington State that are likely “toss-ups”. The Utes will be significant underdogs at Washington, but should be favored in their final home game vs Colorado. Overall, I have the Utes favored in six games with another game listed at “pick-em”. Since three of their favorite roles are by a FG or less, I’ll be conservative and set their season win total around 6.