Utah 2021 Football Preview

2020 Recap

Utah‘s 2020 season got off to a late start because of the Pac 12’s Covid delay and protocols that kept the Utes off the field until November 21st. Without a proper off-season or preseason, the team looked out of sync early and lost the season opener 33 – 17 against USC. The Utes had an unsettled quarterback situation and things did not look good early.

The team played better the following week against Washington, but still ended on the wrong end of a 24 – 21 score. Though the season began with two losses, the team was finding it’s way and that trend would lead to a better finish. Utah got in the win column against Oregon State the following week with a six point win and continued to progress through the end of the season.

The Utes closed the year with back to back 17 point wins over Colorado and Washington State. The players voted to opt out of the Bowl game and instead finished their season on a three game winning streak with a 3 – 2 record. The five game season was a blur and ended as quickly as it came together, but the Utes strong finish provides hope for 2021.

2020 Leaders

Projected Starters

Reasons For Optimism

Charlie Brewer Brings Stability at QB

The quarterback position was problematic for the Utes in 2020. The three players who played combined to average 7.1 yards per attempt and threw seven interceptions against six touchdowns. Utah added Charlie Brewer from Baylor to bring experience and consistency to the position. He has started for four years at Baylor and averaged 7.4 yards per attempt and threw 65 touchdowns against 28 interceptions over those four seasons. In the spring game, Brewer completed all fifteen of his passes and looked like he already had a good feel for the Utah offense. With Brewer in the fold for 2021, fans should expect the quarterback position to be solid in 2021.

Defensive Line Depth

The Utah defensive line will be a strength for the team in 2021. Mika Tafua and Maxs Tupai are both returning at defensive end and have 37 career starts under their belt. Xavier Carlton and Van Fillinger are young players that provide big potential and key depth at defensive end. Carlton was one of the stars of the spring game this year. On the interior Utah has four quality options at tackle as well. Viene Moala, Hauati Pututau, Tennessee Pututau and Devin Kaufusi all saw playing time in 2020 and are back for the upcoming season. The Utes have plenty of experience and talent to rotate through on the defensive front, which will provide a strong foundation for their defense.

Star Power in Back Seven

While the defensive line is a strength, their is plenty of talent behind them on defense as well. Linebacker Devin Lloyd is one of the best at the position in the country and will lead the position. He is joined by Nephi Sewell who turned in a big 2020 season that saw him make several big plays for the Utes. The duo will form one of the best linebacker tandems. Meanwhile, in the secondary Utah got strong play from cornerbacks JaTravis Broughton and Clark Phillips in 2020. Broughton led the team with four pass breakups in five games and Phillips was one of the best true freshman in the country during the shortened season. Utah has a deep defensive line, but there is a lot of star power behind it, which should make the defense difficult to beat.

Causes For Concern

Need to Find a Lead Runner

With the tragic passing of Ty Jordan, Utah is without a proven running back heading into the 2021 season. None of the Utes’ returning running backs ran for 100 yards or had more than 21 carries in 2020. The team added two transfers to bolster the position, but TJ Pledger and Chris Curry were both passed on the depth chart at Oklahoma and LSU. Neither averaged over five yards per carry last year and neither should be considered a go-to option at running back at this point. True freshman, Ricky Parks arrives this summer and will attempt to provide a boost in the backfield as well. Utah needs the running attack to find a leader quickly so the offense can take advantage of the team’s strong defense.

Depth at WR

Inconsistent quarterback play can lead to struggles at the receiver position, or a lack of production at receiver can lead to inconsistent QB play. Utah’s receivers did not exactly shine in 2020. Britain Covey performed well and tight Brant Kuithe was productive but there was very little production from the receivers after those two. Solomon Enis and Devaughn Vele had their moments this spring and could provide a boost at the receiver position, but they will need to prove it in real games before they can be counted on. Another Oklahoma transfer, Theo Howard, has been added to the team at receiver and could provide a boost this year, but he only caught 13 passes in ten games last year and will need to prove he can be a consistent option. Brewer will need receivers to throw to other than Covey and Kuithe, it’s important for a few play-makers to emerge at receiver to help the quarterback succeed.

2021 Schedule

Top 25 Players

2021 Projection

Utah begins the season with a manageable four game stretch before the bye, though it does include a road match-up with in-state rival BYU. The Cougars will be breaking in a new starting quarterback and Utah should be able to win the rivalry game. Coming out of the bye Utah will play at USC, then host Arizona State, taking on their top two competitors in the Pac 12 South in back to back weeks. Crossover games at Stanford and at home against Oregon will be challenging contests during the second half of the schedule as well. Utah’s defense will be able to keep them in most games and progress on the offensive side will lead to a successful season for the Utes. If Brewer is able to steady the offense, Utah should be able to get to 10 wins and depending on how those USC and Arizona State match-ups go, play for the Pac 12 title.