Utah Football 2024 Season Preview | Schedule Predictions

welcome back to another episode of rock boys football Utah heading into the Big 12 getting a lot of national media Buzz as kind of being the Front Runners in this Big 12 Conference until diving into the 2023 season looking what they have coming back in 2024 you're not gonna find many arguments for me this is one of those teams that I look at and say they're just checking so many boxes heading into 2024 I fully trust Kyle Whittingham as really just being one of the best coaches in all of college football you make no mistake about it this Utah team is extremely dangerous heading into 2024 obviously getting cam Rising back want to take a look at this dep chart and kind of project how this Utah team does in the 2024 season and take a look at the schedule before we do and as always one these season previews are always my favorite episodes to do because we learn from you guys in the comment section there's always a few names that you guys drop that I add to the notebook and enough breakout in the college football season for the Utah fans if we're sleeping on anybody throw it in the comment section We'll add it to the notebook and if you all do enjoy the content consider subscribing to the channel this the this Utah team previewing games in 2024 it's going to be a blast and without further Ado let's get into this one you got to start with the big story line cam Rising coming back and we don't have to talk about cam Rising that much because we know what he brings to this Utah team one he's a winner and you just whenever he's playing for Utah they're winning conference championships I think more importantly seventh year quarterbacks I you look across college football with some of these super experienced quarterbacks they always seem to hit their stride towards the tail end of their career they've just seen a ton of football right Michael penck Bo Knicks I have a ton of faith that cam Rising just puts together puts together excuse me another phenomenal season because of all that experience that he has under his belt now I think the fascinating storyline for this UT offense and I was kind of doing some prep over the last couple of days is this the most talented pass catcher unit that Utah's had in what at least five years I think that's what has me fired up the most about this Utah team I think that's kind of what I'm looking for because cam risings had to do a lot with a little in a lot of cases at Utah and he's had some good tight ends obviously come through that program obviously our bills guy D conc but he really hasn't had those Elite guys on the edge so you're kind of looking I think this Utah offense is a really good chance to be more explosive than what you've seen and you've seen cam ryzen kind of will this team down the field consistently does a lot with his legs just kind of grinding plays out and making it happen but can this look a little bit more like aesthetically pleasing if you will with the fact that they're having some wide outs come in in a room that I think is really pretty well constructed where you have money Parks a guy who really does a pretty good job working out of the slot you have him a guy in Micah Pitman who when he gets the ball in his hands does a really good job creating things and then you have a a guy andorian singer that I don't think you've had as just a really good pure route running wide receiver to work that boundry I I really like the way this Utah offense is Shak shaking up and that's not even including the tight end spot which yeah again the tight end spot I think it's an embarrassment of riches in that tight end position and we know Utah is going to run a lot of two tight end sets get these tight ends active in this offense and we've seen Utah just put out some phenomenal tight ends in the college football landscape but I look at Utah kind of similar to us as Michigan fans looking at this offense and saying can you get some more of those explosive Playmakers in the passing attack a little bit more involved and I think you kind of summed up how I feel I look at this wide receiver and say not only is there a lot of talent in the wide receiver room there's a lot of guys that do different kind of things and we talk about it all the time you want a wide receiver room kind of to resemble a basketball team in terms of having wide receivers that thrive doing different things money Parks Micah Pitman separators yards after the catch Dorian singer might be one of if not the most talented wide receiver that Utah has had in quite a while then you're bringing Damen Alfred from Syracuse 66 215 pounds matchup nightmare that averages 19.3 yards per catch you talk about Utah finding some more explosiveness in the passing attack that's a guy that's just going to work vertically down the field then Trea Lions sub 10 second in the 100 meter coming over from Washington so many different guys that do different things in this Utah pass catcher room and I think the last thing I want to talk about before we get to the start of the show and that's going to be the defensive side of the football deal the offensive line something that stands out to me and I think this might be the first team preview we've done where there's not a single transfer portal Edition on the offensive line what do that tell you about Kyle Whittingham and how he sees this offensive line they're feeling pretty damn good and so you think the Personnel is there but I think more importantly the continuity we talk about a lot of offensive lines that are bringing in three to four transfers how well are those units going to mesh and play as one in the 2024 season for Utah and all of these guys have played football together have been in this system that's probably what makes me so optimistic about the Utah offensive line I trust Kyle Whittingham to put out good line of scrimmage play I am pretty high I'm want this Utah offensive line can be heading into 2024 with all that continuity that's coming back heading into the fall and the big thing will be the tackles and this is probably the the most talented tandem we've ever seen at Utah these guys were like kind of recruits you don't always see Utah win with and Utah does a really good job doing what they do developing some of the lower ranked overlooked guys and making them really good and that's kind of frankly what their interior is looking like but you have a guy in Caleb lomu and Spencer F who got a lot of action obviously as a freshman I'm really interested to see what those guys because those those are two NFL talents and then again you don't always get to say that about Utah offensive tackles so again you have that experienced veteran older unit in the interior can those tackles kind of take those steps and because that was obviously a positional weakness I don't think that was a a great playing unit last year but again two guys who are only true freshman obviously Fu have a having a lot more experience if those two play really well this will be one of those more classic Utah offensive lines and that's going to be a big thing because that when Utah's offensive line are playing really good they're a handful to deal and then you couple it with a quarterback like cam Rising now a note on Spencer Fu I think got some unfair heat early in the season like this kid was a true freshman going up against some really good Edge rushers in the Pack 12 deal his last seven games for Utah as a true freshman only five quarterback carries like you saw this kid and again The Growing Pains at the offensive tackle spot for a true freshman that is to be expected he got better towards the end of that 2023 season that's what fires me up the most about Spencer Fu obviously expected the kick over to that right side I believe that's what he played in The Bull game against Northwestern there's a lot of reason to be high on this Utah offensive line and you go to the defense this shouldn't come as much of a surprise I think it is I think comfortably the best defense in the Big 12 you go back to last year you think about all the talented quarterbacks and passing on really just offenses that we saw in the Pack 12 Utah National 20.3 points per game allowed that was 20th in the country 3.1 yards per carry that was eighth in the country this Utah defense that was playing opposite in offense that really just struggled to do the many favors was a very very good unit in the 2023 season yeah and you're gonna come back with a really like experienced and loaded interior defensive line I mean Junior's fine to win incasa are so so good especially tasa I think he's incredible just the way he makes plays is so disruptive getting into the back field love his game I think the question is is like Canen conro tul Logan F recover from that injury can van fillinger I think that's kind of the unit frankly that you're looking on that defensive line like can we kind of get back to what what we were with Conor ool as a true sophomore before the injury some of those moments you saw from them and can he kind of raise that game up in replace frankly with they obviously losing with Ellis yeah Jonah Ellis was the guy in that pass rush I think you're looking for just more guys stepping up in that Utah pass rush because Jon Ellis was a freak Show when he was healthy for Utah in 2023 though the big thing I have in my notes on this defensive line the depth I mean how many Big 12 teams can just match the amount of capable bodies that Utah has on both sides of the line of scrimmage the answer is not many if any then you look at the linebacker room Lander B at least in my mind one of the best linebackers not only in the Big 12 but in the country you look at the secondary you have to replace two just All-Star safeties obviously Cole Bishop another Buffalo Bills got I love the Buffalo Bills just grabbing Utah Utes like I think that's going to pan out for our Buffalo Bills you look at the Utah secondary there's some guys that excite you I think they made some sneaky good additions in the transfer portal as well Cameron coun coming from Michigan another guy that we liked as a young player from Michigan I again I think you sum up this Utah defense kind of similarly to how we started with this Utah team boxes are being checked all along this I know they they lose good guys in the secondary but again you're returning zamaya vaugh such a good cornerback how Johnson such unique versatile guy can play the nickel can play out in the back so again gives them some positional versatility and then I think Stone Smith's gonna have a great year I think you kind of what exactly you want to Nickel that short area quickness the ability to stay with guys and cover in man in man and then be able to be physical and tackling guys as only a true freshman I'm really excited to see him because I thought in that Northwestern B he looked really good yeah I think what excites you about Utah is that you don't normally see Utah play a ton of young cats because it's a developmental program they want guys four or five years in the system you saw Utah have to lean on some young cats in 2023 that's only going to make them better football players in 2024 D you get into the schedule it's a getable schedule and I think we are both on the same page that we see Utah and Kansas State as probably the two best teams in the Big 12 Utah does not have to play Kansas State in the 202 before season you start looking at this schedule Southern Utah Baylor at home on the road at Utah State you feel pretty good about them starting three and0 going on the road to Boom picket Stadium against an Oklahoma State team that I've been kind of vocal I'm not saying Oklahoma State's bad it is hard to go to still water and win football games that being said I think they're a little bit overrated according to the National media if they can win that game hosting Arizona the next Saturday at home rle stadium have your two hardest games in the first five I think Utah's chances starting five and0 going into that bye pretty dang high and Utah actually matches up really well with Arizona and Arizona is a team that's certainly gonna present a lot of teams problems because they're gonna be able to score a fair amount but I think I look like Utah I think it's GNA be a handful to deal with on the ground for Arizona and just the overall physicality that Utah is goingon to bring that no one else in the Big 12 can really I don't I don't think they're going to bring it that way so again like Arizona scares teams because if you can't bully them off the spot they're going to score but again Utah I think matches up favor favorably just because they're so so physical and something Arizona does know he have to deal with and then I think Oklahoma State's the other one where I mean I I don't know that they were a big 12 championship team last year it's kind of weird like they obviously went they kind of grinded it out had some real ugly games had some games that they pull off like the one against Oklahoma but that wasn't a team that was like really really scary you talk about matchups how's Oklahoma State moving the football it's with Ali Gordon you're looking at Utah team that's top 10 nationally against the run I don't think Ali Ali Gordon's a phenomenal football player I ain't taking a shot at Ali Gordon do you see Ali Gordon going for a buck 50 against this Utah front seven because I certainly don't and then to go off what you said about Arizona one they're coming to rackle Stadium I think number two D Utah was number one in the country in time of possession how I see that game going is hey no a feated team back we think you're really football players we ain't going to let you on the field we are going to go 10 12 plays work that clock play it our way at our Stadium I kind of like their chances in both of those games and then you go get the bye which is good because obviously you want to keep this team healthy Arizona State on the road but probably should be a win TCU at home should be a win on the road at Houston should be a win BYU getting the Rivalry back but still at home right ccle Stadium feel good about that you go on the road to Colorado you need the pass to exist there Iowa State another tricky one that's at home and deal the game I'd be probably circling and it's probably going to be to go to a big 12 championship game you go across the country to Orlando Florida the bound house to play UCF another team that again is gonna want to run the football and that's something that we probably should State there's a lot of teams in the Big 12 that want to run the football right two of the bigger matchups that you have UCF and Oklahoma State they run the football top 10 in the country most that that kind of came out a little quirky I again I just ucf's great rushing attack KJ Jefferson RJ Harvey can they run the football consistently on Utah front seven that's the question mark that I have I mean that's such an exciting game and I think you kind of said it I think both teams kind of thinking they're gonna be right in the mix Utah almost Surly is gonna be in the mix for the Pack 12 or Big 12 title I should say by the end end of the year UCF a team that brought a lot in for the portal I think they're going to be a really tough team if that's like a big big game I mean the better environments all college football that that'll be a sick one Friday night on Fox I already have my plans like that book it that's gonna be a very exciting One D we'll close it out there uh you you like Kansas State in the Big 12 I like Utah we'll see how it plays out appreciate you guys rocking with it again if yall do enjoy the content consider subscribing to the channel appreciate you guys and we'll talk to y'all later peace