Returning Starters
Offense: 8
Defense: 6

Key Player
Offense: Brian Johnson (QB)
Defense: Robert Johnson (FS)

Key Losses
Steve Tate (DB)

2007 Key Stats
9-4 (5-3)
Rushing Offense: 167 Yd/Game (43)
Passing Offense: 201 Yd/Game (81)
Scoring Offense : 26 Pt/Game (68)
Rushing Defense 144 Yd/Game (52)
Passing Defense: 184 Yd/Game (11)
Scoring Defense: 16 Pts/Game (5)
Sacks Allowed: 2.15/Game (67)

Schedule/Early Prediction
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

Italics: Loss- I’m convinced. E-Mail me your hate.

Summary

Under Kyle Whittingham Utah has made slow and steady improvements on both sides of the ball. Last year Utah struggled on offense at times but was generally held together by an aggressive, swarming defense which ranked in the Top 25. Despite losing 5 starters off defense, the offense returns enough to warrant a Top 25 placing and a schedule easy enough for Utah to talk about going bowling in January.

Last year was a tough one for Utah in that they suffered injury problems early with QB Brian Johnson, RB Matt Asiata, and WR Brent Casteel all seeing very little playing time. The defense had to hold up this Utah football team and did so by picking off 17 passes last year. Barring another injury plagued kick off to the Utes season, the opposite should be said for Utah this year as 8 return on offense and proven depth waiting in the wings.

Matt Asiata and Darrell Mack will be the feature backs this year with Mack being the primary runner as Asiata is eased back into the offense coming off the broken leg from last year. For this offense to be successful in any shape, form, or fashion, Brian Johnson is going to have to be healthy all year, something he has yet to do since stepping on campus. While the senior quarterback only missed 2 games last year, his shoulder injury forced the coaching staff to limit his scrambling which is needed if Utah looks to succeed in the Mountain West.

4 Offensive linemen return to help make Johnson and company feel very comfortable about heading onto the field come opening day in Ann Arbor against rebuilding Michigan. The key for Willinghams offense is that Zane Taylor (sophomore) or Tyler Williams (junior) both fill in the newly vacant center spot and that they do so quickly.

Question marks arise in the front 7 on defense for Utah as they lose 4 starters from last year’s group (2 DL, 2 LB). Utah will have huge holes in the middle as two sophomores are slated to fill in the hole in the middle of the defensive line and no proven depth behind them. Look for incoming 4 star defensive tackle David Kruger to get a look in the middle throughout the season. The same can be said for a linebacker core that does not have a lot of proven depth or play makers on roster right now.

This is a secondary that returns 9 defensive backs that logged quality playing time last year led by Brice McCain. This is a unit that will have to continue being the glue on defense as they ranked #1 in passing efficiency defense last year and 11^th overall in pass defense in giving up 184 yards a game in the air. In order for Utah to be anywhere near as good as they were last year in front 7 (ranked 21^st in sacks per game) they will need to get quality play out of their experienced secondary.

As noted above, Utah opens with Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Many are claiming this to be a rather easy win for Michigan, I say NON SENSE! Utah is very capable of pulling off this win (upset?) as Michigan still does not know who their QB is, who their play makers are, and will they even understand R-Rods offense by the first game of the season? The only other game that I see Utah possibly losing is BYU, but by the last game of the year, at home, I see Utah pulling this off (barring more injury problems to Brian Johnson). Utah was shut out on the road against eventual 2 win UNLV, coming home after Michigan I don’t see Utah letting UNLV slip past them again. Utah also lost a close home game to Air Force last year but with Air Force returning only 3 starters on offense and 5 on defense, I see Utah getting their revenge win on the road in 2008. Lastly, before I leave you all be until tomorrow, the last game I see as a toss-up game right now is Oregon State coming into Utah on October 2^nd. Oregon State underachieved last year and lost a lot from a good defensive unit, this should be a very interesting matchup when October comes around.

Best Case Scenario: 11-1
Worst Case Scenario: 9-3