March 10, 2010

SALT LAKE CITY -

Strengths: Quarterback, Running Back, O-Line
Question: Receiver

Utah returns eight starters and three all-conference players from an offense that averaged nearly 30 points and 400 yards a game a year ago.

Look for co-offensive coordinators Aaron Roderick and Dave Schramm to supersize the playbook to take advantage of the best rushing tandem in the league, the Poinsettia Bowl MVP at quarterback, a veteran offensive line, a fleet of promising receivers and a newfound presence at tight end.

An offseason coaching addition brought former MWC Player of the Year Brian Johnson back into the fold. Johnson will coach the quarterbacks, while Schramm takes over the tight ends.

Running Back

Utah's running back lineup in 2010 could pass for an all-conference ballot, leaving coordinators Roderick and Schramm with the "good" problem of finding enough carries to go around.

Senior Eddie Wide earned first-team all-conference honors last year, despite beginning the season as a reserve. Wide, who became just the 10th player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards, gained all but 67 of his 1,069 net yards in the last 10 games.

He played behind the league's best running back for the first three games, and senior Matt Asiata was leading the conference in rushing (101.3 yards per game) and the nation in carries (71) when he was felled by a knee injury in game four. Wide jumped in and gained 129 yards in Utah's win over Louisville--the first of seven 100-yard games for the opportunistic back.

Asiata, Utah's leading rusher in 2008, was granted a medical extension by the NCAA in February. He will miss spring ball while he continues to heal from knee surgery, but will be running full-tilt come August.

Adding intrigue to the position is sophomore Sausan Shakerin, a 100-yard rusher in his own right (he gained 100 yards against New Mexico as a freshman last year). "Shak," a hybrid of sorts, blends Wide's speed with Asiata's power. He'll get the chance to make his case this spring, when he is expected to get the lion's share of the carries.

Quarterback

Last spring served as a springboard into college football for mid-year high school graduate Jordan Wynn. Nine months later, his MVP performance in the 2009 Poinsettia Bowl sprung the youngster into the national limelight. In the only bowl game on that day, an ESPN audience saw Wynn pass for 338 yards and three touchdowns to lead Utah to a 37-27 win over California.

Wynn made his college debut eight games into the 2009 season and started the last five--averaging 249.4 yards per game as the starter. Number three on the depth chart just last spring, the sophomore-to-be is now considered one of the best--if not the best--returning quarterbacks in the conference.

Behind Wynn is another proven signal caller. Senior Terrance Cain, who was 7-1 as the starter before giving way to Wynn, completed 64% of his pass attempts while throwing for over 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns. Ranked third in the MWC, and in the top 30 in the nation, in total offense through the first eight games, Cain is a threat with his arm and his legs.

Moving into the No. 3 slot is freshman Griff Robles, a highly-rated recruit out of Spanish Fork High School (Utah) back in 2007. He redshirted last year after returning from a church mission.

Managing the quarterbacks for the first year is Brian Johnson, the winningest quarterback in school history and the 2008 MWC Offensive Player of the Year.

Offensive Line

Upfront, the Utes boast four returning starters and loads of depth. Senior headliners Caleb Schlauderaff and Zane Taylor seem destined for first-team all-conference honors coming off second-team recognition last fall, and others could join them.

At least for spring ball, Schlauderaff will slide outside to left tackle from left guard, where he has started for the past three years. The move was precipitated by the loss of talented sophomore Sam Brenner for spring ball to a broken foot. Come fall, left tackle could be one of the strongest positions on the line--even in the wake of graduated first-team All-American Zane Beadles--with the return of Brenner and the addition of blue-chip recruit John Cullen. Cullen, rated as the No. 1 junior college offensive lineman by Rivals.com, expects to make an immediate impact.

Taylor will stay put at center, where he has started in every game for the past two years. Arguably the best center in the league, he is a two-time all-conference recipient, having earned honorable mention honors in 2008.

Other returning starters are sophomore Tevita Stevens at right guard and junior Tony Bergstrom at right tackle. One of the more interesting battles in the spring will be waged at left guard, where senior Walter Watts will try to fend off mid-year junior college transfer Ron Tongonevai.

Unlike a year ago, when the five starters played almost exclusively, backups will almost certainly contribute. Among them are redshirt freshmen Percy Taumoelau, Vyncent Jones, Jeremiah Tofaoeono and Kapua Sai.

Receivers

Replacing the MWC's leading receiver--and Ute record-holder David Reed (81 receptions, 1,188 yards, 5 TDs)--will likely take a committee approach. Chairing the committee will be senior Jereme Brooks, second on the team last year with 56 receptions for 696 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns. Brooks finished seventh in the league in receptions per game (4.31) and eighth in receiving yards per game (53.5), and will head into the season as an all-conference candidate.

Senior Shaky Smithson and sophomores Luke Matthews and DeVonte Christopher saw regular duty a year ago and are leading contenders to start alongside Brooks this fall. The versatile Smithson, who also played running back in 2009, had offseason shoulder surgery and will miss spring ball. Matthews started in three games as a redshirt freshman and played in all 13 games. One-time quarterback Christopher has shown star power at his new position.

Receivers coach Roderick has three redshirt freshmen ready for quality minutes, as well: Sean Fitzgerald, Jamal Smith and Griffin McNabb

Tight Ends

For the first time since Ben Moa earned first-team all-conference honors back in 2003, balls could be flying in the direction of the tight ends. In the 2009 season finale, then-freshman Kendrick Moeai scored Utah's first two touchdowns against Cal--doubling the TD production from the tight ends in the previous 12 games.

Moeai's emergence as a pass-catching threat adds a new dimension to Utah's spread offense and he's not alone. Incoming freshman Westlee Tonga, a returned missionary, is similar in profile to Moeai, both physically (Moeai is 6-5, 236; Tonga is 6-4, 225) and athletically.

Dallin Rogers, Utah's leading tight end as a true freshman in 2007 (7 catches, 1 TD) returns from a church mission in the fall, and senior Brad Clifford is Utah's most veteran tight end, with three letters and two starts in his career.

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