College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Utah football season with what you need to know.
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Utah Football Schedule Analysis
– Utah Utes Previews
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
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2020 Record: 3-2 overall, 3-2 in Pac-12
Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham, 17th year, 134-66
2020 CFN Final Ranking: 27
2020 CFN Preview Ranking: 26
2019 CFN Final Ranking: 18
Utah Utes College Football Preview 2021: Offense
– It was just about impossible to get last season going. Once the Utes finally got started in late November, just about everyone on the schedule had a few games under their belts. It wasn’t always smooth, but the ground game was fine, the attack dominated the time of possession battle, and …
The passing game wasn’t great. More on that in the Keys To The Season, but QB Jake Bentley was just okay, there weren’t enough downfield big plays, and the pivot to a more dynamic attack stalled.
Bentley took his talents to South Alabama, but Utah was able to land Charlie Brewer from Baylor – a solid four-year starter who’s been through the Big 12 wars. He’s got the talent around him – his job is to be the leader and steadying force who keeps pushing the offense.
– The receiving corps lost deep threat Bryan Thompson to Arizona State, but it more than made up for it by getting former OU Sooner/UCLA Bruin Theo Howard – 132 catches for over 1,500 yards at the two schools – from the transfer portal.
TE Brant Kuithe led the team with 25 catches – who can get deep, but didn’t do it much last year – and Britain Covey is a terrific veteran who led the team in receiving yards in two of the last three years. Covey is only 5-8, but the Utes have some big guys in 6-4 Devaughn Vele and 6-3 Solomon Enis.
– The O line should be dominant. It’s Utah, so it’s massive up front and can get nasty. All five starters are expected back around Nick Ford, who can play anywhere on the line but has a home as a next-level center.
And of course, the Utah season will be played with the heaviest of hearts over the tragic death of RB Ty Jordan, who passed away after accidentally shooting himself. Along with being one of the more popular young players, he was the team’s leading rusher and a rising star as the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.
Second-leading running back Devin Brumfield left for Tulane and Jordan Wilmore is gone to Fresno State, but TJ Pledger comes in from Oklahoma – he averaged five yards per carry, can catch, and isn’t bad on kick returns.
Pledger will work in the rotation with 216-pound LSU transfer Chris Curry and second-year freshman Micah Bernard.
– What You Need To Know: Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Utah Football Schedule Analysis
