College Football: 7 contenders that could backslide in 2015
By Stu White
2. Utah Utes
For the first time since joining the conference, the Utah Utes looked like a true Pac-12 team in 2014. They went on the road and beat both UCLA and Stanford, and two of their losses were by fewer than four points (a one-point loss to Washington State and a three-point defeat at the hands of Arizona State). The Utes finished the season at 9-4, setting the bar high for 2015.
Whether or not they can live up to their own standards remains to be seen.
One of the biggest question marks for the upcoming season is how Utah will handle the losses of defensive coordinator Klani Sitake, now at Oregon State, and offensive coordinator Dave Christensen, now at Texas A&M. Head coach Kyle Whittingham has done well helping raise the Utes to a level where they can compete with the rest of the Pac-12, sure, but dealing with coordinator changes is never easy.
The Utes are also dealing with uncertainties at the quarterback position. Neither Travis Wilson nor Kendal Thompson were great last season, and wide receiver Kaelin Clay, who caught 43 passes for a team-leading 523 yards in 2014, is now in the NFL. Having Devontae Booker, one of the conference’s breakout players last season, at running back is obviously beneficial, but strong, consistent quarterback play will be necessary if the Utes want to be contenders in the brutal Pac-12 South.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Utes will be without star defensive end Nate Orchard, who put together a monster of a season in 2014 (84 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and 18.5 sacks). Even if the rest of the defense steps up, replacing that sort of all-world productivity is no small task.
The biggest thing the Utes have going for them is their schedule: Michigan, Utah State, Arizona State, and UCLA all have to travel to Salt Lake City. But there are no gimmes in the Pac-12, and Utah does have to play away games against Oregon, USC, and Arizona.
Utah has worked hard to rise through the Pac-12 ranks, but a slate of difficult opponents and many questions at both the coaching and personnel levels could make for tough going in 2015.
Next: 1. Kansas State Wildcats