The spring semester is underway, which means college football teams are also getting back to work. Many programs are seeing what they can do to advance to the next level and make it to the College Football Playoff, while some are focusing on doing what they did last season to make it back there. For Utah football, though, the former statement rings true here.
The Utes started the 2022 season ranked No. 7, but a loss to the then-unranked Florida Gators removed them from the top 10. They rebounded with some solid victories, and only lost to ranked schools on the road moving forward.
Following a 9-3 regular season, Utah had an upset 47-24 victory over the then-No. 4 USC Trojans in the Pac-12 Championship Game before losing to the then-No. 11 Penn State Nittany Lions 35-21 in the Rose Bowl. With this result against Penn State, the Utes would finish at No. 10 in the final poll of the season.
Unfortunately for Utah, they suffered many key losses this offseason. Tight end Dalton Kincaid, who had 890 yards and eight touchdowns last season, is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Unanimous All-American cornerback Clark Phillips III also declared for the draft, and starting center Paul Maile transferred to BYU after five years with the program.
Because of that, head coach Kyle Whittingham should have a lot of work to do before Week 1 of the 2023 campaign, and it all starts with spring practice. This will be Whittingham's first chance to analyze all the options he will have for the 2023 season, especially at the team's spring game on April 22. So with that being said, here are two position battles to watch at the Utah Utes’ 2023 spring practice.
2. Backup quarterback
It's no secret that Utah's success will depend on the success of their quarterback. Fortunately for the Utes, Cameron Rising is returning to the team for his senior season. Last year, Rising completed a career-high 64.7% of his passes for 3,034 yards and 26 touchdowns versus eight interceptions. He also added 465 yards on the ground and an additional six scores.
The problem is that Rising tore his ACL in the Rose Bowl, which required surgery and will limit his time on the field this spring. With there being a good chance that he is not ready by the 2023 season opener, Whittingham is going to need to have his quarterback depth chart ready to go.
The good news is that the coaching staff should have plenty of options to evaluate during the spring aside from Rising. Walk-on Bryson Barnes started and led the Utes to a win against Washington State last season, completing 17 of his 27 pass attempts for 175 yards and a touchdown, while also adding 51 yards on the ground as well. Barnes seems like the logical option to fill in for Rising should he be forced to miss time.
Aside from Barnes, Nate Johnson made an impact as a true freshman when he ran for two touchdowns in the team's victory over the Arizona Wildcats. Additionally, the Utes still have Brandon Rose and Mack Howard, who both enrolled at the school in January.
With Rising still recovering and potentially missing some of the 2023 season, Utah needs to know who will be ready to take over the job if needed. Whittingham should have a clear idea of who is ready to start by Week 1, whether it is Rising or not. Because of that, the backup quarterback battle is one to keep an eye on throughout spring and summer.
1. Running back
Another unit on offense that should have many players battling for snaps is at running back. Starter Tavion Thomas declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, leaving the starting job vacant.
Just like at quarterback, Whittingham has several options to choose from here. One of them is Micah Bernard, who finished second on the team in carries (106) and rushing yards (533) last season. After a brief stint in the transfer portal, Bernard decided to stay in Salt Lake City.
Ja’Quinden Jackson also could emerge as a potential starter in 2023. Originally a quarterback, he made the switch to running back during the 2022 season and made quite an impact. He had 78 carries for 531 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground, the latter of which led the team.
Another player who should be in the conversation for a big role this upcoming season is Chris Curry. Curry only had 81 yards and one touchdown in 2022 as he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in their third game of the season.
Jaylon Glover had 78 carries for 360 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman. He is another player who, depending on how things go in spring, could earn more snaps in 2023.
Lastly, the Utes also added a couple of running backs in their 2023 recruiting class. They signed four-star recruits John Randle Jr. and Mike Mitchell, as well as three-star Dijon Stanley. While they will only join the program in the summer, they are still in contention for a spot in the rotation at running back.
All things considered, running back should be the most interesting position battle to watch at the Utah Utes' practices until their season opener. Without Thomas, Utah will need to find a new impactful ground player to lead the way, but the good news is that they have plenty of names to choose from for the upcoming 2023 season.
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