No. 12 Utah eager to prove championship mettle in first Big 12 season

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A spate of injuries derailed Utah’s chances of claiming a third straight Pac-12 Conference title last season.

Now, in their debut Big 12 Conference campaign, the Utes are hungry to restore their champion status — and they have the experience and depth to get them back on top.

The No. 12 Utes were the preseason pick to win the Big 12 and are the league’s highest-ranked team in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll.

“That’s the standard for us. It hurt when we didn’t go (to the Pac-12 championship game) last year,” defensive end Junior Tafuna said. “That’s what we’re all working for. That starts with game one.”

Utah’s championship hopes will likely hinge on quarterback Cam Rising staying healthy for a full season. A knee injury in the 2023 Rose Bowl sidelined him last season.

The seventh-year senior has thrown for 200 or more yards in 15 career games, and his presence makes Utah’s offense potent and balanced. The Utes averaged 38.6 points per game in 2022, 11th nationally. They dipped to 98th among FBS teams a year later, scoring 23.2 points per contest while Rising sat out.

Switching Sports

When Caleb Lohner entered the transfer portal, he didn’t just change schools. Lohner also swapped a basketball jersey for a football uniform.

The senior decided to try his hand at football with Utah after two-season basketball stints at Baylor and Brigham Young. Coaches slotted Lohner in at tight end, where his 6-foot-8 frame and long wingspan have the potential to create defensive mismatches.

Lohner has faced a sharp learning curve while switching to football, a sport he last played in eighth grade. Mastering blocking techniques, running routes and absorbing new terminology hasn’t been easy, but he relishes having a chance to prove himself in a new sport.

“It’s like learning a new language in a few months’ time, but I’ve been genuinely enjoying it,” Lohner said. “I feel like people here trust me.”

Lohner is competing for snaps in a crowded tight end room that includes returning starters Brant Kuithe and Landen King. Coach Kyle Whittingham plans to use multiple tight end sets throughout the season.

Linebacker Logjam

Linebacker will be a position of strength for a stout Utah front seven.

Karene Reid and Lander Barton are both returning starters. Reid ranked second on the team in total tackles (67) a year ago while Barton tallied 34 tackles and two interceptions in seven games before suffering a season-ending injury.

Sione Fotu is a likely candidate to emerge alongside Reid and Barton after returning starter Levani Damuni had a lower leg injury in the spring. Trey Reynolds, Moroni Anae and Josh Calvert are also in the mix.

“We’ve got depth all over,” Barton said. “We got dudes who can step on the field and make plays. It’s a good competitive room. We have faith in everybody.”

Passing Fancy

The Utes bolstered their wide receiver depth by adding transfers Dorian Singer and Damien Alford.

Singer played at Southern California and Arizona before joining Utah. He enjoyed a breakout season with the Wildcats two years ago after catching 66 passes for 1,105 yards and six touchdowns. Alford had a solid campaign with Syracuse last season, finishing with 33 receptions for 610 yards.

The duo join Money Parks, Utah’s top returning wide receiver with 293 yards on 31 catches a year ago.

“I definitely think we have a top-10 receiver room in the country,” Singer said. “It may not look like that on paper, but if you come out here and watch the guys work, you can definitely see that in the way we work and the way we play ball.”

The Schedule

Utah opens its debut Big 12 season at home on Aug. 29 against Southern Utah. The Utes earned a favorable draw from the league schedule-makers. They play at Oklahoma State and host Arizona and Iowa State. Utah avoids Kansas and Kansas State. A rivalry clash with BYU is on the schedule for Nov. 9.

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