Last season, Utah was overwhelmed by injuries (51 total starts lost). The injuries had a great effect in the early going, as the Utes started 1-3 (0-2 MWC), including a 27-0 loss to UNLV, which was the Runnin’ Rebels’ only MWC win of the season. Utah turned the season around though, winning their next seven games before ending the regular season with a 17-10 loss to archrival BYU.
However, the Utes ended the season on a high, as they beat Navy 35-32 in the Poinsettia Bowl for a seventh straight bowl win, the NCAA’s second longest bowl win streak.
Coach: Kyle Whittingham (4th year at Utah, 24-14 record)
2007 Record: 9-4, 5-3 MWC
Starters Returning: 14 (8 offense, 6 defense)
Top Returnees: QB Brian Johnson, RB Darrell Mack, WR Brandon Godfrey, LT Zane Beadles, RG Robert Conley, DE Koa Misi, DE Paul Kruger, LB Stevenson Sylvester, CB Sean Smith, CB Brice McCain, P/K Louie Sakoda
Key Losses: WR Derrek Richards, NT Gabe Long, DE Martail Burnett, LB Joe Jiannoni, LB Kyle Brady, FS Steve Tate
2008 Schedule
Aug. 30 @ Michigan
Sept. 6 UNLV
Sept. 13 @ Utah St
Sept. 20 @ Air Force
Sept. 27 Weber St
Oct. 2 Oregon St
Oct. 11 @ Wyoming
Oct. 18 Colorado St
Nov. 1 @ New Mexico
Nov. 6 TCU
Nov. 15 @ San Diego St
Nov. 22 BYU
Key Game: Nov. 22 vs. BYU. This game has MWC title implications written all over it. Both teams are the class of the MWC and seem poised to go unbeaten. This is the 84th time these two fierce rivals will meet, with Utah leading the series 49-30-4. However, BYU has won the last two years in a row after the Utes had blown leads. Expect yet another close game, as ten of the last 11 games have been decided by a touchdown or less.
2008 Outlook
The 2008 season for the Utes could look a lot like their 2004 season, when coach Urban Meyer and QB Alex Smith led Utah to an unbeaten season, when Utah became the first non-BCS team to make it to a BCS bowl game.
The Utes have 14 starters returning this season and shouldn’t have the major injury woes they had last season. After an injury-riddled season, QB Brian Johnson is back at the helm for the Utes. With his knee and shoulder injuries a thing of the past, Johnson should be able to run more and could push for MWC Offensive Player of the Year.
Johnson will be helped out by last season’s leading rusher RB Darrell Mack (1204 yards rushing, 12 rushing touchdowns, 3 receiving touchdowns). Mack was way down the depth chart at running back to start last season and was almost redshirted, but when the running game struggled, he stepped up and led Utah’s resurgence. In his best showing last year, he put up 163 yards rushing against Louisville in a nationally televised game.
The Utes lose last season’s leading receiver Derrek Richards, so they will look to a healthy Brent Casteel this year, who missed most of last year due to injury, but will lead a veteran receiver corps this season. Joining Casteel will be WR Bradon Godfrey (524 yards receiving, 3 touchdowns) and WR Marquis Wilson (15.8 yards per catch). JC transfer Aiona Key should make an immediate impact, as he’s a big target at 6’4, 210 pounds.
The offensive line will be a huge strength for the Utes. They return nine of their top ten players and their starters will average 6’4” and 311 pounds. The line will be led by LT Zane Beadles and RT Dustin Hensel, who stands 6’7” and 320 pounds, so Johnson will be well protected this year.
The defense will need a lot of work if the season is going to be a successful one. There are some holes along the defensive line, but DEs Koa Misi (67 tackles, 2.5 sacks) and Paul Kruger (63 tackles, 3 sacks) return and could challenge for All-MWC honors.
LB Stevenson Sylvester is back despite a broken hand and will have to lead a young group at linebacker, which could be Whittingham’s biggest concern heading into the fall.
The linebackers will be helped out by a veteran group of defensive backs. Nine of their top ten will return, including CB Brice McCain, CB Sean Smith and FS Robert Johnson, who could all be First-Team All-MWC honorees this season.
The kicking unit will be one of the best in the nation, led by the Mountain West’s best specialist, Louie Sakoda, who handles both kicking and punting duties. Last season, Sakoda made 19 of 22 field goals and averaged 44.3 yards per punt, while putting more than a third (28 of 73) of his punts inside the 20.
Utah will get their toughest conference opponents BYU and TCU at home this season, which could be the key to winning the Mountain West. If Utah can avoid the plague of injuries and the defense can come together quickly, Utah could go undefeated and make a return to the BCS, quite possibly at the expense of their biggest rival.
Marquis Wilson is suspended from the team indefinitely, just so you know.